An offering to the protective spirit of the Baka

Combat des lianes is a ritual. At its centre stands the spirit Edjengui, guardian of the forest and its inhabitants. In this ritual, each spectator is invited to bring an offering in the form of a donation and a message, intended for the Baka people.

Among the Baka communities in eastern Cameroon, the forest cannot belong to humans, for it already has a sovereign: Edjengui, the spirit of the forest, who makes plants grow and protects the creatures living beneath the canopy. A large part of Baka polyphonies are dedicated to Edjengui, hymns of praise from the people of the forest to the one who bestows life and exercises cosmic justice.

Combat des lianes continues this movement of praise through ritual… In the face of today’s devastation (logging, mining, agribusiness plantations, etc.), the Baka call us to solidarity and to the recognition of their vital role in the resurgence of forests: from a fallen tree, an entire sacred grove can grow again.

A Word, A Prayer, A Wish

After the performance, you are invited to leave in the basket/calabash displayed in the foyer a written message intended for the Baka communities. Words as a form of reparation and recognition: a letter, a wish, a prayer, a thought, like a solidary act.

A Donation

You may also express your support through a financial donation.

This money will be used to replant lands devastated by deforestation within the camps visited by the artistic team in January 2025, during the research and immersion phase. It will allow for the purchase of essential materials for cultivating the land: wheelbarrows, shovels, pickaxes, seeds, fertilizer, agricultural tools, as well as food to be consumed...

The funds are collected by the Zora Snake Company in Cameroon and redistributed to the Avant-Scène association, which maintains direct contact with the Baka communities. With the collected funds, the association will provide materials on the ground, as close as possible to the needs of each camp, thereby contributing to generating local economic activity within the communities.

Staying in touch

The Zora Snake Company will closely document the distribution of these resources in the camps and the sharing of messages with the Baka populations. Do not hesitate to write to us to be kept informed of the process: ciezorasnake@yahoo.fr

With all our gratitude,
Zora Snake

Watch the documentary made during the artistic team's immersion in the Baka camps in Eastern Cameroon > VIDEO