Chefferie Bandjoun

A Masterpiece Of Bamileke Art

The Palace of the Bandjoun Kings is a historic building in the town of Pete Bandjoun. It is the seat of the Bandjoun Kingdom , where the chief-superior of the Bandjoun peoples resides. The Royal Palace where the king resides was built in the 20th century. The Palace Museum tells the story of the dynasty of kings . The entire chiefdom is one of the most visited museums in the Bamileke country

The chiefdom of Bandjoun is located in the West Region of Cameroon (the Bamileke country) about twenty kilometers from the capital of West region: Bafoussam. It is the most imposing and the most beautiful chieftaincy in the country.

A taxi is recommended to get there from the town of Bandjoun for a few CFA francs, it can be visited. A chiefdom is a kind of micro-state that has its own political and sociological institutions. It is governed by a chief, from the local nobility. It has many powers: religious, economic, administrative and political. It also plays the role of judge and arbitrator in the event of a conflict.

To make decisions, It is assisted by an assembly of notables. By “chiefdom”, It also designate the residence of the village chief, his wives and servants. That of Bandjoune is particularly remarkable. It consists of several traditional squares, well aligned. They are recognizable by their roof, the sheet metal roof, of conical shape. The most impressive is the large hut which dominates the village. It is 17 m high and still serves as a meeting place today for the chief and it assembly of notables.

It is made up of finely carved pillars supporting a heavy conical thatched roof. The interior can be visited. Today the chief lives in a modern residence just next to the big hut. You can also find a museum whose collection presents several objects representative of the cultural and artistic heritage of Bandjoun (royal thrones, masks and beaded objects, fabrics with enigmatic patterns). There are recognizable by their roof.