Fang

Living primarily in the African countries of Gabon, Guinea, and Cameroon, the Fang ethnic group is a Bantu-speaking people whose religious traditions, although monotheistic in form, are deeply rooted in the honoring and veneration of the ancestors. The Fang people often keep the bones and skulls of their ancestors because they believe that these skeletal remnants still hold power—power that is viewed as sacred and influential in the issues faced by the people in daily life.

Additionally, the wooden sculptures, masks, and carvings created by the Fang and often sold as exotic art are actually artifacts that are created to be the guardians of the ancestors' remains. They ultimately act as an intermediary between the people and the ancestors whose protection they guarantee. These ancestors are believed to exercise as much or more power in their spiritual form as they might have in their natural lives, particularly if they died a “good” death and lived honorable lives. Although the Fang do not believe that the masks and sculptures have power themselves per se, nonetheless they do use the masks as both a marker for the ancestors that they honor and as a form of social control, a symbolic reminder of the power of their ancestors.

The Fang believe that everyone has a body and a soul and it is the soul that gives life to the body. Whereas the body dies, the soul does not, but lives on. Ancestors are spiritual guides and are highly influential in the lives of future generations. In many cases, they are prayed to and given offerings to secure their blessings. They also set the moral standard for the Fang community, and it is believed that the ancestors can communicate to their descendents through dreams and visions. Although the ancestors who are honored can be both male and female, male ancestors are more likely to be revered because of the patrilineal structure of Fang society.

By the early 20th century, the Fang had instituted secret committees within their communities. The Ngil, a judiciary organization, is the most prominent of those societies within the Fang and is responsible for battling witchcraft, including performing exorcisms of evil spirits and exploring the possibility of demonic possessions in individuals in the community. The Ngil is also responsible for the initiation of young boys and is a form of law enforcement in the community. Because it is believed that the ancestors are often reincarnated in their descendents, the spirits of the ancestors are major role players in the rites of passage of the boys.

The Fang believe in the supreme God, Mebere, who is viewed as the creator of the known world. Mebere not only blew life into Earth, but also is [Page 260]the creator of the first ancestor, Zambe or Sekume, who was fashioned from clay and whose form was first as a lizard. Mebere placed this lizard in the waters for 8 days; on the final day, the lizard gratefully emerged from the water as a man.

The Fang also believe that Mebere was one god with three different aspects: Nzame, Mbere, and Nkwa. These three parts consulted with one another during the creation process and particularly in the creation of the first man. It was the Mbere and Nkwa parts of the god that suggested that there be a chief of the Earth; whereas the elephant, the monkey, and the leopard were all considered, this first creation was named Fam and was given three things from each part of his god. He received strength from Nzame, leadership from Mbere, and beauty from Nkwa. Unfortunately, Fam became arrogant and attempted to usurp the authority of his god. Mebere could not tolerate this and destroyed the Earth with the exception of Fam, who had been promised to never experience death.

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