Title cups and ancestral presence in the Bambui fondom, Cameroon Grassfields

Although the title cup is recognized by families across the Grassfields as the intermediary between the living and their ancestors, very little is known about the nature and purpose of the intermediary role it plays. Not only is the title cup initiated and venerated by most families, but it is claimed that it is indispensible to any form of communication between the living and their ancestors. In other words, the title cup is considered as the representative of the ancestor (s) by any family in possession of one. Drawing on research on the title cup in the Bambui fondom, this paper examines the nature and purpose of the intermediary role played by the title cup in families across the Grassfields. It reveals that the title cup is indeed a medium of communication between the living and their ancestors, especially in times of crisis.