The Role of Death, Burial Rituals, and Ghost Spirits in the Banyang Traditional Political System: An Anthropological Investigation

The implications of ghost stories are deeply embedded in the thoughts of the Banyang people. The epistemology of ngu’h-menem (ghost or die comot) in Banyang Country is passed down to youths as a living culture, narrated by parents and grandparents around the three-stone fireside. This oral tradition begins when someone dies, with rituals performed before burial to either prevent or encourage the appearance of ghost spirits. Ghosts are believed to possess continued influence over the living, playing crucial roles in governance, conflict resolution, and maintaining order within families and the community. This paper examines the implications of ghosts in Banyang Country, an ethnic group in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, arguing that ghost manifestations are not mythical phenomena from an anthropological perspective. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources and analyzed using descriptive methods. The findings reveal that ghost phenomena are integral to the spiritual beliefs and socio-political system of the Banyang people, highlighting the intersection of spirituality and politics in African traditional societies and the complexities of ritual power on social organization.