Product Features

• Language: Bamum (Shpamom), also known as Bamoun
• Region: Cameroon
• Speakers: Approximately 250,000
• Script: Developed by Sultan Njoya in the late 19th century
• Pages: 1238
• Dimensions: 14.7 x 21.1 cm
• Publisher: Bible Society (2008)

Overview

The Bamum language, also known as Shpamom or Bamoun in French, is part of the Benue-Congo language family in Cameroon. This Bible is a comprehensive religious text for the Bamum-speaking community, comprising 1238 pages in a hardcover format. The language is renowned for its unique phonetic script, created by Sultan Njoya and his palace associates around 1895. Despite the historical challenges, including colonial suppression, the script and language have persevered, with modern efforts to revive and maintain literacy among younger generations.

Interesting Facts

• Script Development: Sultan Njoya's script evolved from ideographic to syllabic systems, with the final form known as "A-ka-u-ku."
• Cultural Impact: The script was one of the most sophisticated writing systems developed in Africa.
• Revival Efforts: The Bamum Scripts and Archives Project in Foumban is actively teaching the script to young people to promote literacy.
• Music and Language: Notable Cameroonian musicians Claude Ndam and Gerryland are native speakers who incorporate Bamum language into their music.

Publishers

Bible Society (2008)

Hashtags

#BamumBible #Shpamom #CameroonLanguages #SultanNjoya #BamounScript #BibleSociety #LanguagePreservation #CulturalHeritage #AfricanLanguages