BANGWA
109
Concepts of cultural relativism were taking root
at the beginning of the twentieth century that challenged
earlier evolutionistic ideas that the level
of cultural development of so-called “primitive”
peoples could be measured and judged by European
standards. Wittgenstein introduced the idea
of “language games” in connection with this new
approach. He wrote: “One must start out with error
and convert it into truth. That is, one must
reveal the source of error, otherwise hearing the
truth won’t do any good. The truth cannot force
its way in when something else is occupying its
place. To convince someone of the truth, it is not
enough to state it, but rather one must fi nd the
FIG. 28 (facing page):
Map of southwestern
Cameroon, with inset map
of the Bangwa kingdom of
Lebang. The border with
Nigeria is contemporary.
Cartography by Alex Copeland,
polariscartography.com. Inset map
after Vincent Lockhart, “A Social-
Historical Study of Social Change
among the Bangwa of Cameroon,”
Occasional paper no. 52, Centre
of African Studies, University of
Edinburgh, 1994.
FIG. 29 (left):
Pipe of Fontem Assunganyi.
Bangwa, Cameroon.
19th century.
Brass, wood, beads, leather, bells.
L: 77 cm.
Collected by Gustav Conrau, 1898.
Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin,
inv. III C 9814a–b.
FIG. 30 (right):
Trumpet. Bangwa,
Cameroon. 19th century.
Ivory. L: 26 cm.
Collected by Gustav Conrau, 1898
or 1899.
Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin,
inv. III C 7812.
Photo: Martin Franken, ©
Ethnologisches Museum der
Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin -
Preußischer Kulturbesitz.
/polariscartography.com