Devotees of Sawa culture carry a sacred vase during the Ngondo Festival in Douala, Cameroon, on Dec. 7, 2025. Thousands recently gathered along the banks of the Wouri River in Cameroon's commercial hub, Douala, to witness the Ngondo Festival, as the Sawa community's iconic river ritual marked its first anniversary as a globally renowned intangible cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Kepseu)

by Arison Tamfu, Wang Ze

YAOUNDE, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thousands recently gathered along the banks of the Wouri River in Cameroon's commercial hub, Douala, to witness the Ngondo Festival, as the Sawa community's iconic river ritual marked its first anniversary as a globally renowned intangible cultural heritage.

During the ritual, a devotee of Sawa culture plunged into the river from a canoe, carrying a vase filled with the community's wishes. He was believed to meet "mermaids" before returning with a spiritual message for the Sawa people, specifically, and for Cameroon as a whole.

The festival was officially inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.

For the Sawa people, the UNESCO recognition carries significant weight.

"Ngondo's inscription is a major step forward -- a milestone in showcasing our rich cultural heritage and commitment to protect it," said Valere Epee Lottin, a respected patriarch of the Sawa community.

Mark Nguale Mano, who described himself as the commander of custodians of Sawa culture, said that "Ngondo represents our culture, our tradition, our way of life and our very existence, our dignity."

"UNESCO recognizes Ngondo and places it within its innermost circle of world culture. Today, we are recognized as a reality that unites. We consider every child of Cameroon to be part of Ngondo," the 52-year-old local said after performing an impressive acrobatic dance.

Jacques Eyoum Madiba, a Ngondo historian and patriarch of the Sawa community, expressed immense pride and joy over the UNESCO recognition.

"It is now up to us to strive to be worthy of what our ancestors have given us: to educate children in our culture, to understand how our society is structured, to feel the sense of belonging to our community, and to undertake ambitious initiatives that will inspire others," said the 76-year-old senior.

Over the past weekend, visitors and tourists also enjoyed a range of activities, including a caravan through traditional Sawa districts with artistic performances, traditional wrestling competitions, canoe races, a crafts and trade fair, and a beauty pageant.

"It's an honor to participate in the Ngondo Festival. It proves that tradition, our African culture, doesn't die, and that young people are interested in culture to perpetuate cultural values," said 23-year-old Michel Olivier Ebelle Elokan, participating in the festival for the 15th time.

Authorities hoped that the festival's success would inspire greater efforts to protect other significant natural and cultural sites in the Central African nation and encourage more global recognition of the country's rich heritage.

"Ngondo's inscription is a high point of recognition of our rich cultural diversity," said Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mkpatt, Cameroon's minister of arts and culture. "We still have Gourna and Fantasia from the Sudano-Sahelian cultural area, Mvet from the Fang-Beti and Achu from the Grassfields cultural areas under study for inscription."

Annually observed in the first week of December, the Ngondo Festival has evolved from a commemorative gathering since its inaugural edition in 1949 into a vibrant celebration blending ritual, heritage, and community pride.

This year, when the messenger emerged from the river, he brought a message of caution and hope, which read, "We are at the dawn of a new era, with its turbulence, but also its share of opportunities." ■