summary
If there was a subject to rely on in the protection of the heritage of proprietary names, it would undoubtedly be geographical names.
In fact, toponymy derives from Latin meaning place and from Greek meaning name. It is the science of the study of geographical names. As a science, toponymy is subdivided into several branches and is an important source of knowledge of the past and preservation of people's memories. They are not only a very precious base of information that must be preserved, but also a spatial sign of the culture of the people who occupied or once occupied a particular space.
The Seventh United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in France adopted resolution I/7, establishing the French-language division of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. This should apply to northern Cameroon, as cooperation with UNESCO must be carried out to promote the sustainability of intangible cultural heritage, including geographical names. They are oral traditions of the Far North and must be fully documented, preserved and capitalized. In addition, geographical names have a clear identity stake, as they convey attribution of identity.
However, geographical names are also one of the most vulnerable cultural phenomena because they are intangible and often oral. In that sense, geographical names must feature prominently in the development process. They carry values of history, religion and cosmic origins. To what extent should geographical names in Cameroon's northernmost cultural heritage be protected? Are they relics of a current changing identity or political proposition?
1. Introduction
Heritage issues are at the centre of research by several institutions that are developing the main axes of intangible heritage identification and safeguarding policies. It is subdivided into two main branches, tangible and intangible heritage. In the latter case, toponyms or names and their variants occupy an important place in endogenous development. They are activated, undergo language mutations, and then die. Identification and conservation policies must be developed upstream for local development downstream. Decentralized local communities must achieve this.
In human evolution, humans have been crossed by two tendencies or feelings. The first basis for Jean-Jacques Rousseau is its existence; On the other hand, the second is the law of conservation.
This is the justification of the actions and gestures of primitive and modern people, who leave objects behind them until they become familiar, or wear out, and can no longer be used. This focus on conservation gives value to evolution and progress. It's about the preservation of tangible heritage. In Asian civilizations, especially in China and Japan, the concept of protection has philosophical significance because everything from the past is considered respectable and sacred. Place names are the creation of memory, cultural heritage and sacred.
The concept of conservation of handicrafts as historical and socio-cultural evidence is well developed in the museum. It was in the second century BC that the Greek princes and Romans of the East developed a sense of artistic protection belonging to classical and ancient times for aesthetic and religious reasons. From the Renaissance onwards, medieval monuments were greatly defied, and when affected by bad weather, they were replaced by modern architecture. Again, there is a desire to preserve cultural heritage.
In the case of intangible heritage, geographical names must be aware of conservation and sustainability concerns. Geographical names are the crystallization of the linguistic wealth of peoples. These riches are a dispersion of creative subjects and, in this sense, deserve the attention of the municipality.
In the far north of Cameroon, place names are remembered; The main concern is the problem of memory fidelity and alterations due to oral transmission. Now scholars have confirmed that people who don't know what to write have a more developed memory. This makes sense, because a society cannot survive without a cultural foundation.
It must therefore protect its cultural heritage in some way and thus be interested in preserving place names over time. This paper recommends that geographical names be considered as cultural values worthy of protection and use within the framework of endogenous development of local tourism. The study was intended to conduct a quantitative study and its arguments were based on historically forgotten place names of the peoples of the Far North. The study is based on the population of Dia Mare and Ancient Marguey-Wandala, while not ignoring some names in the Mayo-Cani region. It is a question of considering place names as intangible heritage, along with songs, proverbs, stories, funeral dances, wine laying and derogatory ceremonies.
2. Place names as intangible heritage
The section began with a debate around geographical names as intangible heritage that must be protected or not. Interestingly, toponymy is the science that studies the origin of toponymy in general. It has several variations depending on the geographical location or place name referents. Geographical names must be meaningful to individuals, controversial and have national or international repercussions. Toponymic analysis is evident in the study of the origin, pronunciation and spelling of a geographical name of a geographical entity and its history.
Geographical names have long been excluded from intangible cultural heritage, as it must be understood in the sense that intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in accordance with their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and endows them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus contributing to the promotion of respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. It provides that geographical names may be considered as "oral traditions and expressions, including languages as carriers of intangible cultural heritage", taking into account the fact that geographical names are threatened; Continually created by communities and groups and given a sense of identity and continuity; In this regard, place names have proven to be an intangible heritage of identity; Fragile, so save.
This identity is revealed when a person takes his place name as his own, becoming a living relic of the roots of prehistoric languages. The history of human activity and language makes the Far North a real mystery, in terms of real appropriation and historical knowledge of the vast region.
The plains of Diamare , the mountains of the Mandara Mountains, and the wetlands of Mayo-Danaí and Logung-Chari enrich the names with ecological references. Toponymy is a creation of national languages, because the semantic flavor of a placename can only be found in the logic of the ethnolinguistic group that hides the name. Immateriality in this sense can be perceived through the lack of anchoring and materialization of related names in geographic space.
However, we cannot ignore the fact that the territory is the spatial basis of the process of heritage development. The process of hereditary that is deeply ingrained in culture. Basically, appraisal and valuation work is necessary. The trend towards ancestry is to fix place names over time.
It is only through the expression of place names that are clearly identified that it is possible to occupy local space.
This desire to occupy space and preserve group identity was understood when the English philosopher Francis Bacon noticed this in 1803 and suggested Jacques 1, and Stuart named Great Britain the United Kingdom of England and Scotland.
Although it may seem in a superficial and unfamiliar way, the name creates impressions and charms. People are proud to live in a place where the language of the local social group is spoken. It has several functions: protection of cultural heritage; Occupy space and maintain the sustainability of the group concerned and the heritage of that group.
In the first case, allusions are the wealth of memory created through a socio-cultural creation. We confirm our identity by designating a place with natural characteristics (space, vegetation); The role of the site in human and cultural activities, as well as the change of geographical names that ultimately depend on the location of the new facility. Thus, the place name becomes a place name.
As part of the affirmation and sustainability of the heritage of local groups, social pride is reflected in the simple pronunciation of the relevant place names. These place names vary as a result of changes with other established groups. In this sense, it is fragile and must be stored wisely.
Due to their intangible nature, geographical names are among the most vulnerable natural phenomena. Intangible characteristics are a function of several external factors: migration and language interaction; Graphics and phonetic transcription. First, allusions are men's movements and actions. Given that these movements involve a mix of cultures, customs, beliefs and civilizations, it is clear that geographical names are influenced by cultural interactions. Sometimes the only form of resistance to these interactions is the toponymic root. It transcends the influence of time and culture
As for mutations, colonial managers played an important role in initiating the process of changing geographical names over time. This variation can be explained by the fact that the forms of bite, lip, tooth, and palate in African languages could not be accurately transcribed by German and French colonists. To this must be added the aesthetics of the mouth, which is the prerogative of managers. The transcription and use of the place name must correspond to the will of the local administration to requisition the place.
The protection of geographical names must be carried out by decentralized local communities in their ancestral policies. In this case, the legacy attracts the idea of a legacy left by predecessors, which we must pass on to future generations intact or improved. It is necessary to accumulate a legacy for tomorrow. It is in this context, in an ethnolinguistic or socio-cultural community, that geographical names must be preserved together with songs, dances, wine offerings and derogatory rituals. A step must be taken to identify geographical names with strong socio-cultural connotations that could play an important role in the development of local tourism.
3. Decentralized local authorities determine geographical names
In this case, it is a question of the municipality developing local toponyms for promotion as real tourist assets. The protection of geographical names is a guarantee of the preservation of the tourist wealth of a place. It should be noted that the tourist value of a geographical entity is closely related to the name of the place. In the far north, refers to chiefs who have several wives; Vaiza to the National Park; Mozogo Island Conservation Park; Lake Maga; Mora to cross-border towns that trade with Nigeria; The town with the first installation.
Efforts must be made within the framework of other geographical names or places that could play a decisive role in endogenous development. Depending on the nature of the thing in question, the classification of geographical names must have connotation and obvious historical value.
First, it is necessary to list some place names with geographical references, such as rivers; Mountains, places, etc. Secondly, on the other hand, the analysis must focus on geographical names, which refer to socio-cultural names, such as war sites, myths or mythological places.
In this case, the place name changes style and takes an appropriate name according to the object referent: the place name depends on whether the object referred to is a place of production, a product brand; industrial companies; Cooperative; Intellectual works. Emergencies indicate historical facts; Disease; Cultural, sporting and political events, historical periods. Phenomenal nomenclature refers to the miniature nomenclature of natural disasters, falling stars, streets, deserts, etc.; These buildings. We also have the naming of rivers and the naming of some mountains.
It is necessary to analyze some of the riches of the Far North, which deserve special attention from scattered local communities. Preserving the name means preserving the heritage of this area.
Refers to a village located at a high altitude, full of tourist buildings: handicraft centers and dams.
The handicraft center that caught our attention is a place that deserves special attention. The centre is a place where local skills and craftsmanship are reflected. baskets and other products; Cushion; Hat; broom, rope; The curtains are made according to local patterns and colors. It is clear that the preservation of local heritage requires the protection of the names of the sites, dance venues, places of worship, etc. Marais is a festival celebrated by the people of Mount Mandara 3. It is a celebration, an offering of ritual power and deities in gratitude to the eponymous ancestor or panthéon of an ethnolinguistic community. It is in this context that certain funeral ceremonies are held. In most cases, the deceased are buried in cowhide, and ceremonies are held to honor the dead and protect the living. We must also highlight that among them are crab wizards and woodpeckers of the same name.
The wizard is a soothsayer, and his art lies in interpreting signs and the future. It should be noted that, in context, the universe does not constitute a cold, silent universe, on the contrary, "a world full of meaning, information, and speaking, anyone with code can decipher the meaning of these symbols." The characteristic activities of the name are closely related. It is in this context that we have the place, a village that deals with skin activity. They are tanners who make animal skins into handbags, belts, shoes, etc. For sale in and around Marua city. The Council of Marois III shall, to the extent possible, consider policies to upgrade the premises.
At this level, there is the humanization of space. It is ancient and shows the relationship between humans and the environment. As part of the encroachment on space by name, the settlements of the Koza plain are clearly a fortune and worthy of protection. They were developed by the CFDT as part of promoting agriculture and identifying certain plants.
When we mention the name of the village, the potential refers to the market where the arts and customs are displayed. Women wear robes that are contrary to the cultural practices of others, but have rich meanings in the eyes of those involved. In the latter, we can see the Great Plains and High Sheaths of Nigeria, where the inhabitants exercise forge with unparalleled dexterity and professionalism. Tourists who visit these places are attracted to this culture labeled backward and outdated.
Photos taken by professional photographers in the past were developed and sold as postcards, bringing currency to the community. This is illustrated by geographical names in the context of local cultural and political times. The chiefdom is located in the highlands not far from Mora. The chiefdom was established nearly 200 years ago and is characterized by the large number of chiefs' wives. There are many rich elements in history that nurture tourists.
In the history of town planning in the Far North, certain places of memory and industrial facilities have given phenomenal and work names a real history. Despite the cultural interactions, the name retains ancient values.
4. Decentralization, toponymic policy
In most African countries, decentralised local tribes and areas have been given priority as the main actors involved in the system. According to Cameroonian legislators, this decentralization includes the transfer of specific skills and appropriate means from the State to decentralized territorial tribes.
Article 4 of the Act perfects this definition by stating that these tribes are legal persons governed by public law and enjoy administrative and financial autonomy in the administration of the territory and local interests. Indeed, the main issue of decentralization is to promote sustainable development by involving people at the grass-roots level in the management of their affairs. This is taking into account that local wealth is part of their development into a true heritage. In the hereditary policy, it is important to emphasize certain powers transferred to municipalities in order to better promote the toponymic policy; developing municipal tourist attractions and supporting micro-projects that generate income and employment; Reforestation and creation of public forests, creation, maintenance and management of green spaces (parks and gardens of public interest), development and maintenance of public spaces and buildings; Cultural days, traditional cultural events and literary and artistic competitions are organized at the local level. These skills are transferred to decentralized local communities and, if used properly, are important assets for identifying and protecting toponymic heritage. Some municipalities must guide policies for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, including geographical names in this context.
Decentralised communities and local tourism
Local residents are custodians of living heritage. In fact, oral traditions and expressions (stories and legends), musical expressions (folk songs and music), performing arts (popular drama, folk dances, rituals), useful and enjoyable artistic expressions (cooking, crafts, art, servants, folk art), skills related to the traditional construction industry, and crafts such as musical instruments are all expressions in living memory. The term "living heritage" is used to more precisely define all the traditions or interesting practices that a community contains in its daily life, implemented by the owners, custodians and transmitters of traditions, expressing patterns, group values, company identity and the basis that forms its cultural identity. Thus, the local population becomes a framework, or is accessed, enriched and transmitted orally as a set of traditional knowledge and skills of cultural value to the community. Preserving the core of local knowledge resources is essential for conservation and local development.
In the context of the protection of toponymic heritage, certain municipalities must protect the names of certain places. The municipality of Marua is working to build a monument at the entrance to the aforementioned city to reflect the battle of Ibba Sanger that took place in the city. The construction of the stele reflects the preservation of history and place names through the historical and socio-cultural realities of the region. But the statue placed at the entrance of the city does not have a major role in promoting local tourism and endogenous development, it should be placed outside the city.
In the history of social relations between ethnolinguistic groups, the hills in which they are currently located have played a decisive role in ethnic relations between local social groups. It should also be noted that the installation of blacksmiths next to this mountain signifies the desire to preserve manufacturing techniques and preserve the cultural heritage of the area. What about the city of Mora?
In the history of the Kingdom and other political entities in the Chad Basin, the Kingdom's neighbors were a political organization, the Kingdom, for which its official capital. It is a village located on the Mora-Kousseri road, about 06 km north of Mora. Today, the ruins and fortresses of the ancient capital can still be seen. The protection of this site will play an interesting role in the protection of geographical names. The city also played a role in Cameroon's colonial past.
In fact, when World War I broke out in Cameroon, German troops were stationed in all major cities of Cameroon, including Mora. The Franco-British conflict drove the Germans out of Cameroon through the last bastion - the fall of the fortress of Mora. The battle took a toll on both sides involved in the war. German graves are still clearly visible and well preserved and are located on the Mora Hills surrounding the area. Municipalities should consider protecting and defending these artifacts and historical witnesses.