The Mystique Lake In Wum
Wum is a small village located in the North West Region of Cameroon, Menchum division. It is one of the biggest towns in Bamenda with a local language known as Aghem which is spoken there by the indigenous. There are five main villages that make up Wum. The villages are Kesu, Naikom, Magha, Cheregha and Zongofu. Wum had four lakes which are Lake Illun, Lake Atwe, Lake Oshien and Lake Wum.
Lake Wum is linked to Mount Fako which is Mount Cameroon, the third highest Mountain in Africa. The Lake Wum is known by all the inhabitants of Wum to be a friendly lake and acts as a source of drinking water. “ It is located in a small neighbourhood by the Senior Divisional Office (SDO) and a walkable distance from a secondary school called John Paul’s College, Wum (JOPAC). The Lake Wum belonged to a particular family and whenever a member of that family dies, the lake changes its color. If the person who died was killed, the lake is going to be red and have black waves . It is the most exploited lake in Wum, since the time of the Germans. From the corridors of the local administration, there are intentions to build a traditional hotel and fish farm around the lake for greater attraction. When a chief is about to die, the Lake gives a signal by changing its color. Also, the Lake takes a soul every year as a sacrifice to the gods especially strangers from areas who know nothing about it. When these souls are taken, sacrifices have to be done to the gods in order for them to be realized. There are equally visiting hours when people can visit the Lake.
The lake is blessed with a lot of fish which is enough for everyone but the fish in the lake is not meant for sale. “Anyone who disobeys this tradition and sells the fish risks sickness or death, and annoying the lake that way you can cause the next fishing season not to be fruitful. The Lake gives a signal whenever it has to travel and when it does, the surface becomes like dry land but very deep because the kings, queens and gods of the land rest after death.
However, if someone goes against the gods orders and sells the fish from the lake, rituals and sacrifices have to be made. If the sacrifices are not made, the fish and crabs will disappear from the Lake. The Paramount Fon, accompanied by fourteen sub-chiefs carries out sacrifices of goats, sheep and fowls. The Paramount Fon will take the sacrificial cock to the lake, throw the cock up and watch the way it falls into the lake. If it falls straight and disappears into the lake, then the sacrifice is accepted. However, if the cock falls on its side or does not disappear, the, the sacrifice has been rejected and that indicates that another series of sacrifices will have to be done. The lake equally celebrates funerals and those gifted with spiritual eyes can hear and see it when they are close to the Lake. The Lake is said to have a very strong spiritual bond with the gods and the people because it served as a sacrificial ground for evil twins. Till date, Lake Wum has remained a very peaceful and beautiful Lake with a natural and beautiful vegetation coupled with a very calm environment and favorable climatic conditions.
http://www.wum-council.org/data/images/lakewum.jpg
Bime, Beatrice, “Mystique: A Collection Of Lake Myths”. Paragraph 1. Lines 1-3. Page 71. Ebook. 2009. Web. 20 Feb, 2018.
Choves, Loh, “ Wum’s Friendly Lakes”. Paragraph 2. Lines 7-9. allAfrica. 1 Feb, 2017. Web. 20 Feb, 2018.
Bime, Beatrice “ Mystique: A Collection Of Lake Myths”. Paragraph 2. Lines 7-10. Page 71. Ebook. 2009. Web. 20 Feb, 2018.
Bime, Beatrice, “ Mystique: A Collection Of Lake Myths”. Paragraph 2. Lines 14-22. Page 71. Ebook. 2009. Web. 20 Feb, 2018.
==