Chris Spring. Angaza Afrika: African Art Now. London: Lawrence King. 2008

Book review

The shifting iconography of drinking horns in the Western Grassfields, Cameroon

This paper examines the shifting iconography and iconology of the buffalo and cow horn drinking cup in the western Grassfields of Cameroon. It highlights the extraordinary creativity of how cow horn drinking cups have provided young people who were previously denied the opportunity of using objects of status to associate with the new aesthetic practices. By examining the fascination in cow horn drinking cups decorated with Bruce Lee’s facial image, this paper will show that successful youth who acquire such items have become the embodiments of a new iconography and iconology for the western Grassfields. More importantly, the study will demonstrate how these emerging youths, who are neither royals nor elites have reverse to their advantage the traditional iconography and iconology that was typical of the region and that was restricted to royals and elites

The social context of widowhood rites and women’s human rights in Cameroon

Since the United Nations Decade for Women (1975–1985) gender-based violence (GBV) has increasingly received global attention and eventuated in the earmarking of June 23rd, 2011 as the first-ever International Widow’s Day. This case study examines the social logic of superstitious beliefs and associated fears sustaining the dehumanizing practice of widowhood rites and practices (WRP) with its negative consequences on women’s well-being among the Balengou of Western Cameroon. It argues that WRP should be understood through the double process of disavowal and projection, “false consciousness” and as a “patriarchal bargain”. It argues for the strengthening of women’s rights through gender-neutral marriage, succession and inheritance legislation based on notions of equality and social justice between the sexes, the harmonization and humanization of WRP, and an intersectionalist approach to GBV and development

The shifting image of black women’s hair in Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa

In this article, we explore the motivations for the changing image of black South African women’s hair in Tshwane, Pretoria. We argue that black South African women’s hair, in the past, as in the present, has largely been misconstrued. We demonstrate that like all black South African inhabitants, South African women’s hair has had its own fair share of ridicule, ostracizing, and racial classification. As a result of this, black South African women’s hair is constantly in motion, searching for recognition and appreciation. The article is based on a review of literature and interviews conducted with 30 black South African women in Tshwane, Pretoria, from July to September in 2015 and in August 2016