Genealogy,

after 1952

In the early twentieth century, when Bamum Kingdom came under German and later French colonial rule, a circle of artists working as advisers to Sultan Ibrahim Njoya (reigned ca. 1885–1933) began drawing genealogies and other compositions to communicate local histories to new Bamum and European audiences. Here a later artist continues this tradition, using ink and pencil to depict the Bamum royal lineage from its foundation in 1394 into the twentieth century. The distinctive headgear on display indicates social rank across centuries, with the first sixteen rulers donning the crocheted cotton and knit burled caps particular to Bamum elites, in addition to more elaborate beaded headdresses. Bamum’s more recent rulers, starting with Njoya, wear turbans, signaling the dynasty’s conversion to Islam after World War I. Bamum genealogies were frequently replicated, with captions in different languages depending on the intended audience. This one features the names and regnal dates of each ruler in French.