Bankim, M'Bankim, Bamkin or Kimi is a town and commune of the division
Mayo-Banyo
Mayo-Banyo is a department of Adamawa Province in Cameroon.
The department covers an area of 8,520 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 134,902. The capital of the department lies at Banyo.
Subdivisions
The department is divided ...
in
Adamaoua in
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
.
It is about 95 km from
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 (at the 2005 Census). It is a major town for the Bamum people, Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and Culture of Camer ...
and 125 km from
Banyo The area's vegetation is of shrub savanna type.
History
Bankim is said to have been founded in 1395 by the local chief Kimi who founded the
Tikar
The Tikar (formally known as Tikari, Tigar, Tigari, and Tigre throughout their history) are a Central African ethnic group in Cameroon. They are known to be great artists, artisans and storytellers. Once a nomadic people, some oral traditions t ...
kingdom. Eldridge Mohammadou has given a date of 1760 to 1780 as the foundation date for the chiefdom.
[Zeitlyn, David. (1996).]
Eldridge Mohammadou on Tikar Origins
", Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford (JASO) 26 no. 1: pp. 99–104.
Hazards
Loaiasis is hyperendemic in this area, but is regarded as a generally mild and painless disease. It is reported that about 17% of the population in this area carry HIV/Aids, however the survey is based on urban surveys in the capital.
Communications
Bankim is on the main road from
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 (at the 2005 Census). It is a major town for the Bamum people, Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and Culture of Camer ...
to
Banyo. The provincial road (P26) goes from nearby
Nyamboya to
Ndu via
Sonkolong,
Atta, and
Sabongari.
There is a post office, a hotel, some medical facilities and branches of Union Express and Exchange Express. Mobile phone coverage is good.
Notable residents
*
Joseph Chila
Joseph Chila is a Cameroonian photographer from Mbouda in the West Region of Cameroon. For most of his working life he was based in Mayo-Darlé in Adamawa Region.
Early life
Joseph Chila was born in 1948 near Mbouda in the West Region of Came ...
, a local photographer who has exhibited in the
National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to:
* National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra
* National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred
*National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C.
*National Portrait Gallery, London
...
in London
Cameroon exhibition in 2005
/ref>
See also
*Communes of Cameroon
The Divisions of Cameroon are the third-level units of administration in Cameroon. They are organised by divisions and sub divisions of each province (now Regions).
As of 2005 (and since 1996) there are 2 urban communities (Douala and Ya ...
References
Communes of Cameroon
Populated places in Adamawa Region
{{Cameroon-geo-stub