National Museum Of China: Cameroonian Art Occupies Prominent Place

They are independent collections and gifts from various Cameroonian dignitaries.

Cameroon is referred to as “Africa in miniature” largely because of its representative geographical landscapes and their natural endowment. Also, the country’s rich mélange of cultures, arts and crafts justifies this appellation. In order to better sell the nation’s tourist potentials, Cameroonian leaders have over the years offered gifts to foreigners that depict the country’s unique cultural heritage.

The National Museum of China, NMC, for example, boasts amongst its masterpieces, collections from Cameroon. The museum is located near the famous Tiananmen Square in the capital, Beijing – just across the avenue from the Great Hall of the People. Chinese leaders have a tradition of keeping artefact-gifts in the NMC. Amongst these presents are Bamoum bronze masks and several wood carvings from other parts of the country offered by various Cameroonian leaders.    

On the third floor of the five-storey building is Gallery 8 where about 600 sculptures from Africa are exhibited. They include the seated chieftain and wife wood sculpture from Bangwa people in Labialem Division of the South West Region and the helmet-style mask with leather surface from Ekoe people in same region. There is also the 123-centimetre-high carved wooden throne with flower decorations from Oku in Bui Division of the North West Region. The largest artefact in the gallery is unarguably the High Queen wood statue from Bangwaland. Holding two children, the colossal 210-centimetre-high sculpture is accompanied by two smaller h...