Politics

Internal structure and organization of the tribe and people

       Before the colonization, the patrilineal extended family called the njawbud was the basis of traditional organization there. The members of a same family from a paternal lineage, their children and closer relatives belt their village on a territory in the eastern Cameroon. Those villages were sub divided into autonomous segments but integrated. The smallest socio-political unit was called the ‘’mpanze or mpanje’’ which is a sort of family-foyer. A pre-colonial Maka village was made up of one or little mpanze which are closely related by blood. Men spent most of their time in the mpanze which served as a discussion place, a jobsite for artisans and blacksmiths. Every important decision was taken in that place and any stranger was obliged to cross the mpanze for his identification.

       The bigger unit before the 1960s was the kulbud which was a set of many njawbud living sometimes at some considerable distances from one and other and having a same real or mythic ancestor. However, the njawbud of a same kulbud could decide to hold an assembly of the clan called kande in other to put an end to their relationship. Their social middle before the colonization favored individual emancipation and the refusal of any type institutionalized authority; this explains the independence spirit which characterizes the Maka people. Their pre-colonial society was a ‘’freedom-loving and highly segmented ‘’ in spite of the fact that certain structures of power and authority existed.

      Nowadays, the Maka tribe is divided into canton which is a group of at least three villages. The Canton is ruled by a chief of canton. Each village is ruled by a local chief and is divided into families, which are still under the rule of local chiefs. The Maka department (the Haut-Nyong) is headed by a presidentially appointed senior divisionary officer and its sub-divisions are headed by a sub-divisional official. Individual towns are gifted of a mayor.

Ruling/leadership

      Before the colonization, the key personalities of the region were the ‘’ Nkangue- domb’’ which was the greatest warrior, the ‘’Ci’’ and the ‘’ Lese kande’’.Those functions could be held by three different persons or a single one. When these functions were held by three different people, the ‘’ Nkangue- domb’’ was the village’s chief. He protected the community against hostilities of the environment. He was not chosen, he was imposed, according to the circumstances. The Ci was chosen by the assembly of married men called “the Cumbubuol”. The Ci was the civil authority and he made sure that the villagers followed the local customs. He also managed the wealth of the village. He was rich, wise and noble. His wealth was measured in terms of people living under his mpanze, the children of his mpanze, called the bwane mpanze. He ought to be polygamous with more than three wives and with many girls to marry to the other patriarchal in order to keep up his friendship with those personalities and to gain more prestige which is called Ngume. Furthermore, it was also to reinforce his authority known as Ijuga in the village. The bride price he received helped him to marry his own boys. The ‘’ Lese kande’’ was considered as the wise man, a great notable, the master of the different discussions. He rendered justice and judged matters known as Milesu or Milaf which occurred in the village during public discussion locally called Mikane. The more frequent problems were stealing and adultery. His power was essentially judiciary, based on his experience of the life, his wisdom on the knowledge of the history and ancestral traditions. All those tasks were accomplished by old people, elders, with no exclusion of potential adults.

      When all those tasks were accomplished by a single person, it is the ‘’Ci’’ who ruled. The ‘’Ci’’ was appointed by the council of notables known as Bekabida. He had all the powers, as far as politics and judiciary are concerned. He had an absolute power. Nonetheless, the Maka society placed some limits to the Ci’s authority. We can therefore mention the fact that an unhappy chief of an mpanze could decide to leave the village and settle elsewhere. In addition, there is the existence of two councils of wise people: the war council locally known as Milolo-mi-domb, presided by the Nkange-domb and the Bekabida, which is a type of wise men and elders council, including the families’ heads. The war council had to intervene in all the decisions that were linked to the war, whereas, the Bekabida assisted the chief in his administration as far as judiciary affairs and marriages are concerned. Moreover, there existed some mystic societies such as the Shumba, the Shwaga the Mbol…The shwaga met to convey some important issues which were linked to the foundation of the community such as a village’s displacement. The Shumba was a meeting of sorcerers who were called Njimbulu. They were specialized in doing evil. The Mbol were reserved to women, exclusively. They were concerned with the removal of calamities, epidemics and bad luck. Furthermore, the Nkon intervened in every activity like wars, funerals, and he was very different from the Njimbulu. He was feared in the whole society because of the potent scientific know-how and his mastery of nature.Death was the only thing which could put an end to the Ci’s reign. The succession was patrilineal, that is, from father to son. However, the son had to be intelligent and wise. He had to master the traditions and behave in an irreproachable way. If he did not fill the above conditions, or if the royal nuclear family was not gifted of a male child, the throne was given to one of the closest relative.The first wife of the Ci had an influence on the administration of the village and she could take part in the proposal of the new Ci.

    Nowadays, a woman in the maka tribe has taken a considerable size and she is a sort of being revered and highly respected. Thus it is possible for a girl to takeover leadership in the maka region. Even the young ones may carry the ruling stick of the whole tribe. This simply means that the Maka people do not rely on the fact that only old ones can rule because of their experience. They do believe in youth potentials. Thus as long as one responds to the characteristics demanded and has the charisma of being a leader, he/she, old/young, is given the place to rule.

Defense
       The pre-colonial period was characterized by insecurity, fear and violence. The Maka had to defend their territory against internal aggressions and imperialism. They were cannibals during that period. They killed and ate people. It was forbidden for a stranger, that is, anyone who was not a member of the consanguineal kin, to enter into the Maka territory. Any controversial was killed and eaten. This was explained by some security reasons and some mystical beliefs. They killed and ate theses strangers to guarantee their security. Their warriors ate their enemies to overtake the power and the magical clout of those latter. However, revenge was the principal cause of their cannibalism.
The Maka people did not have a permanent army. Every adult man was considered as a warrior (locally known as Nkange). They did not receive any formal formation. Instead, they practiced during their personal activities such as hunting and locally-organized fights, locally called kwate. A warrior was considered as being so if and only if he brought the heads of his enemies in the village. His principal arms were the spear locally called as kwon, the arc locally known as the banga, the shield made of the buffalo’s skin. It was known as the beni. Another arm was a type of shield made up of creepers. It was locally called bungu. It is important to note that the most powerful arm was war Magic.
The village was surrounded by many safeties such as stems of trees, grass, thorny plants, wild animals which protected them from surprising attacks. Also, the wild climate served as protection because not everyone could easily adapt to it. Thus it would be difficult for stranger to approach their inlands.
Nowadays, defense is assured by the army and the police force. Since the Maka are animist, the force of the nature is part of their protection.

Ways of discipline

        As said above, in the ancient days, the Maka tradition forbids exogamous marriages and any controversial was banished from the land. All women who committed adultery were killed by stoning. Also, if a woman conceived without being married, she was banished. Talking about crimes, such as stealing, the sanctions ranged from beating to death, based on the gravity of the crime. They also practiced ordeal. In the case where guilt was to be proved, the people involved were sent to the village magician, locally known as the Nkon. In addition, before the arrival of christianism, refusal to worship the local gods led to death. In fact, those who acted so were sacrified to the gods.

      As far as the positive sanctions were concerned, warriors who brought the greatest number of their enemies’ heads were appointed as the Nkange-domb, and the daughters of important personalities of the village were given to them as wives.

       Today, all the barbarism mentioned above has stopped and they are now under the Cameroonian law. The Maka tribe has become a hierarchical society therefore, complains in the Maka territory are reported to the chief of the village. The chief then needs to convoke the parties involved. If the problem is too serious and it is above the chief’s solving capacity, then the chief needs to report it to the administrative leaders. They are the ones who have the last say in the Maka territory and they may sanction the guilty party through penalty or forfeits, or incarcerating the criminal.

        Politics in the Maka place is not done through submission. Everyone is free to choose his political party. The only thing is that, recognition and respect must be given to the actual party in power. What can be the religion encounter in the Maka zone?