The Fang-Bulu-Beti (1665-1850): origin and migrations in Central Africa

Abstract

This research seeks to determine the starting point of the Fang-Bulu-Beti migrations of Central Africa, from the savannah to the forest. Using new African historiography, it analyzes the three main theories of common savannah origin known about this people. The first theory refers to the area around Lake Chad while another refers to the Upper Sanaga area. Cross-reading of the relevant sources, spanning the period from 1819 to 2018 reveal that that the starting point of common dispersal of the Fang-Bulu-Beti in the forest was neither in the savannahs around Lake Chad, nor in the Upper Sanaga, but in the southern Adamawa region of Cameroon. Within the period of 1665, the Fang separated from the Bulu-Beti and left that place for the forest of South-Cameroon and Gabon through the current East-region. At that same moment, certain Beti people (the Enoa, Benë and Emburi) decided to live the southern Adamawa and passed through the Mbam area to reach the forest of the current Centre region of Cameroon. The other Beti-Bulu later left that savannah environment for Upper Sanaga and for the Centre and South regions of Cameroon. Several reasons could explain this abandonment: Invasion of newly arrived people (Baare-Tchamba and Baya), some inner quarrels and the quest for enrichment towards the Atlantic coast of Kribi in the South Cameroon during 1840-1850 decade.