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Transacting Obasinjom: The Dissemination of a Cult Agency in the Cross River Area

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Ute Röschenthaler
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Abstract

During the twentieth century, Obasinjom became one of the best known and most effective cult agencies in the Cross River area of Cameroon and Nigeria. This paper aims at reconstructing the history of Obasinjom and some of its variants. Unlike many other witch-hunting cults, Obasinjom usually did not disappear after accomplishing the immediate job for which it was acquired. The owners additionally desired to possess the institution because it created wealth, influence and prestige for them as well as their village as a whole. Obasinjom and other cult agencies (as well as women's and men's societies and dance associations) spread from village to village across ethnic or language boundaries. Along with their dissemination, something of their identities and agency diffused and was incorporated into their histories over time and space. As intellectual property they were owned by the buying village and at the same time remained the property of the selling village. Obasinjom, as well as more important institutions, created decentralised networks of owners who had no definite knowledge of all the other participants. The recently formed pan-Obasinjom association, however, has changed this situation and, at least among some owners, created a feeling of identity and a greater sense of unity.

Résumé

Au cours du vingtième siècle, l'obasinjom est devenu l'une des institutions de culte les plus connues et les mieux organisées de la région de Cross River au Cameroun et au Nigeria. Cet article cherche à reconstruire l'histoire de l'obasinjom et certaines de ses variantes. Contrairement à beaucoup d'autres cultes de chasse aux sorcières, l'obasinjom n'a pas généralement disparu une fois achevée la tâche immédiate auquel il était destiné. Les propriétaires désiraient en outre posséder l'institution car créatrice de richesse, d'influence et de prestige pour eux-mêmes comme pour leur village. L'obasinjom et d'autres institutions de culte (ainsi que des sociétés de femmes et d'hommes, et des associations de danse) se sont répandus de village en village, au-delà des frontières ethniques ou linguistiques. En même temps que leur dissémination, une partie de leur identité et action s'est diffusée et intégrée dans leur histoire au fil du temps et de l'espace. En tant que propriété intellectuelle, ils appartenaient au village acquéreur, mais demeuraient la propriété du village vendeur. L'obasinjom, comme d'autres institutions plus importantes, a créé des réseaux décentralisés de propriétaires sans connaissance définie des autres participants. L'association pan-obasinjom récemment constituée a cependant changé cette situation et créé, du moins chez certains propriétaires, un sentiment d'identité et un sens d'unité plus large.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 74 , Issue 2 , May 2004 , pp. 241 - 276
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2004

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