Ngondo — traditional Sawa people's festival
Traditional and popular parties · Douala, Cameroon
The festival
On the banks of the Wouri River in Douala, the Ngondo gathers the Sawa people each year around the cult of water oracles. The festivities run from September to the first Sunday of December: caravans in traditional neighborhoods, traditional struggle, craft and commercial fair, beauty and canoe contests.
The sacred moment occurs when a priest dives from the canoe with a vase containing the wishes of the community; it goes back with the message of the ancestors, who will guide the lives of the Sawa until the next celebration. The Ngondo has been inscribed since December 2024 on the UNESCO representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Good to know
Ngondo is a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage (2024).