Page "Duala people" Paragraph 34

Pirogue racing has traditionally been the most important sport among the Duala.

The sport reached its peak during the German colonial period, when organisers held races annually on 27 January ( the Kaiser's birthday ).

Under the French, they became semiannual, occurring on 14 July ( Bastille Day ) and 11 November ( Armistice Day ).

A typical Duala racing pirogue is 20 – 28 metres long with no keel and a bow carved with intricate designs.

A team of 40-50 canoeists, mostly men who make their livings as fishermen, mans each vessel.

In the past, diviners used the results of these races to predict the future, but today a Christian priest presides instead.

Up to the late 1930s, a family on Jebale Island claimed to be able to summon the Miengu water spirits to help favoured participants.