Publications
Terracing as an Old-Style Scheme of Soil Water Preservation in Djingliya-Mandara Mountains- Cameroon
Terracing emerges as a critical traditional practice for soil water preservation and landscape restoration in the Djingliya-Mandara Mountains, Cameroon. This study reveals that terraces effectively mitigate soil degradation caused by overuse and erosion, while also promoting sustainable farming through integrated techniques such as agroforestry, crop rotation, and the cultivation of infiltration-enhancing plants. Field observations, interviews, and questionnaires from 100 individuals across five villages demonstrate that these local strategies not only restore degraded land but also bolster food security amid high population densities and environmental pressures. The findings underscore the potential of traditional soil conservation methods in combating socio-political challenges and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.
Searching for Boko Haram: A History of Violence in Central Africa by Scott MacEachern
Scott MacEachern's book, 'Searching for Boko Haram: A History of Violence in Central Africa,' provides a deep historical and contextual understanding of the Lake Chad Basin, particularly focusing on the Mandara Mountains. The work avoids sensationalism by tracing the region's history back over 16,000 years, examining how local populations interpret violence and authority rather than delving deeply into Boko Haram itself. MacEachern leverages extensive archaeological fieldwork and linguistic analysis to illustrate the symbiotic yet conflict-ridden relationships between ethnic and religious communities, highlighting the region's role as a frontier characterized by banditry and smuggling. The book also explores how climatological changes have influenced human settlement and inter-group dynamics, offering valuable insights into the region's development and its potential future under climate change.
You are where you build: Hierarchy, Inequality, and Equalitarianism in Mandara Highland Architecture
Contrary to the scholarly portrayal of egalitarian societies, architectural landscapes in the Mandara Highlands reveal deeply embedded hierarchies and inequalities among clans and individuals. This study demonstrates how physical structures are ideologically constructed to legitimize social stratification, challenging the assumption of segmentary societal organization in this region. Through fieldwork-based observations, the research interrogates the meaning of egalitarianism in African societies, highlighting the nuanced interplay between material space and ideological representation.
Analysis of Feature Intervisibility and Cumulative Visibility Using GIS, Bayesian and Spatial Statistics: A Study from the Mandara Mountains, Northern Cameroon
Research on the Diy-Gid-Biy (DGB) cultural landscape of the Mandara Mountains, northern Cameroon, reveals that the placement of archaeological sites was strategically optimized for intervisibility and visual prominence. Using geostatistical, Bayesian logistic regression, and spatial statistics, scientists found that DGB sites are significantly more visible to one another than random permutations, suggesting deliberate selection based on sightlines. Additionally, these sites tend to be located on gentler slopes, further enhancing their conspicuousness. The study leverages advanced statistical methods to demonstrate how visibility influenced ritual, social cooperation, or competition, providing new insights into the intentionality behind site placement in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Monumental architecture in mountain landscapes: thediy-geδ-baysites of northern Cameroon
The Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains, northern Cameroon, features ancient dry-stone terraces and platforms that represent the earliest well-documented human occupation in the region. These sites challenge conventional understandings of monumentality by suggesting they were indigenous responses to severe droughts during the 15th and 16th centuries. However, their significance extends beyond environmental adaptation, as they also reflect complex social dynamics between montagnard communities and emerging state societies in the surrounding plains. Current research highlights the need for further investigation into the variation of these sites within inhabited landscapes and a reevaluation of historical models that often dichotomize mountain and plain environments.
Enslavement and Everyday Life: Living with Slave Raiding in the North-Eastern Mandara Mountains of Cameroon
For over five centuries, the northern Mandara Mountains of Cameroon have been a focal point for slave raiding, with captives either enslaved locally or exported to broader regions. A study integrating ethnohistorical and archaeological data reveals that this practice was deeply embedded in daily life, shaping social structures and landscapes. Enslavement persisted as a relevant economic and political process until at least the mid-1980s, particularly among Wandala and Fulbe communities. The research highlights how these practices were intertwined with notions of sociality, proximity, and violence, leaving a lasting impact on the region's domesticated landscape.
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