Tikar Descendent: My First Encounter in the Rainforest with my Ancestral Tribe

From June 25-July 7, 2010 I, Anita Woodley, left Chapel Hill, North Carolina for N'Ditam - Cameroon Africa to meet my maternal ancestral tribe known as the Tikar people of N'Ditam in the Central Rainforest. I am the first African-American of Tikar descendant since enslavement to return to the bush. I was named Princess Bekang meaning “to go and to come back” by Chief N'gandji Seidou of Nditam. In June 2013, I’ll return to the village with our 10-year old son, X-man!

My Tikar Naming Ceremony

Let The Naming Begin

The Chief putting on my vine necklace

Putting the traditional clothing on me

The Chief putting on my vine bracelet.

Crying in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Putting the traditional clothing on me

Women of the village comforting me

Chief Announcing my name as Bekang translation is Boomerang to go and to come back

After My Naming Ceremony - The Chief named me Princess Bekang. Bekang means "Boomerang" to go and to come back. I became the first African-American since enslavement to return to the Tikar Village.