Our Traditions
Tradition is not fixed.
It travels, adapts, and grows through people.
BAMILEK draws from Bamiléké traditions rooted in Cameroon, alongside the lived realities of the African diaspora today. These traditions do not exist here as replicas of the past, but as living references — guiding how we move, gather, create + care for one another.
Through dance, communal events + creative exchange, we explore how lineage continues to live in the body, in conversation + in shared experience.
This is not about preservation behind glass.
It is about practice — what we carry, what we adapt + what we pass on.
What We Carry Forward
From dance workshops + performances to visual arts + fashion, our work explores the relationship between self, community + ancestry. The community forming around BAMILEK is guided by:
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Exploration of identity through movement + creative practice
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Creation of collective memory through shared experiences
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Honour + respect for African cultural traditions
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Invitation into multicultural dialogue
We honour our roots while making room for new ways of being — weaving traditional symbolism, philosophies + materials into modern, accessible experiences. Everything we offer asks the same question:
How do we come together — fully, honestly + with care?
Interested in how this moves into practice?
See our Afro Dance Workshops or explore Our Story for deeper understanding of how it all began.
Traditions We Intentionally Reference
The following Bamiléké traditions inform how BAMILEK moves through the world. They are not replicated directly, but translated thoughtfully into contemporary, inclusive contexts.
Each tradition listed here is well-documented and researched, and we encourage deeper exploration beyond this page.
Communal Dance as Living Memory
In Bamiléké culture, movement is not reserved for the stage; it belongs to the people. Dance appears in moments of celebration, transition, and remembrance — held collectively rather than performed individually.
Traditional dances such as Kouh Ghan were learned through participation rather than instruction manuals, passed from body to body, generation to generation.
How this lives in BAMILEK:
We prioritise learning through doing, witnessing, and collective exploration, allowing space for personal interpretation rather than copying a fixed form. Rhythm becomes a shared language. Dance becomes a site of connection.
Nature as Witness and Symbol
The Bamiléké are grassland people, settled in mountainous regions where land is not simply terrain, but a living presence. Sacred forests + elements such as l'arbre de paix (peace tree) exist as a way to manifest good fortune + connect with the land.
Nature acts as witness to life’s transitions, holding memory, offering grounding, and reminding the community of its relationship to something greater than itself.
Honouring Ancestors and Lineage
Ancestor remembrance within Bamiléké culture strengthens intergenerational bonds and affirms belonging within a wider story. Our ancestors remain present, consulted + honoured.
Through ancestral huts, where their skulls are kept partially underground in terracotta vases or calabashes, these spaces are sites of dialogue. Offerings such as favourite foods + drinks are made to seek guidance + acknowledge lineage.
How this lives in BAMILEK:
We acknowledge those who came before us through storytelling, remembrance + intention. Creating a place to return to within movement + gathering, where one can reflect on their roots + how they carry those lineages forward. Without forcing belief or ritual participation.
Visual Symbolism and Adornment
Adornment in Bamiléké culture carries meaning beyond aesthetics. Cowries symbolise wealth, fertility, and protection, while ndop cloth signifies royalty, honour, and spiritual grounding. Masks used during ceremony serve as vessels — allowing communication with the spiritual plane.
These objects are not decorative; they are carriers of story, status, and presence.
How this lives in BAMILEK:
How this lives in BAMILEK:
We prioritise intentional use of space gathering outdoors when possible, slowing the pace, and acknowledging the environments that hold us. Care for land, body, and breath are treated as interconnected.
Through jewellery, clothing, and visual language, we approach adornment as intentional something worn with awareness. Materials and symbols are used thoughtfully, inviting reflection, self-expression, and connection rather than consumption alone.
An Annual
Gathering of Food,
Culture + Connection
In 2023, BAMILEK hosted its first community cookout.
In 2026, we bring it back — with intention for it to become an annual gathering every May, around 20 May, marking Cameroon’s Reunification Day (also widely recognised as Independence Day).
The cookout is a contemporary tradition rooted in something familiar: gathering outside, sharing food, conversation, creativity + rest.
The Cookout
An Invitation
This page is not a rulebook.
It is a reference point.
As BAMILEK grows, so will its traditions — shaped by the people who show up, move, listen + contribute. What remains constant is the intention: to gather with care, move with meaning + build something that feels lived-in, not performed.