I am Gisèle Boundar. I'm originally from East Cameroon and I'm an engineer of fine arts and heritage science.
I'm concerned by traditional dance outfits which are prepared in an original way, using bark commonly known as Obom.
This bark is cut down with the help of a machete and undergoes several procedures to make it light and solid.
Then, we have the skins of animals such as the lion, panther and zebra which are protected species, as well as the fresh green leaves.
There are multiple problems linked to these different practices, notably deforestation and destruction of plants and wildlife. As wel as the violation of nudity.
The modernization of these traditional dance outfits will allow us to overcome these issues which profoundly undermine our society.
In order to overcome these problems, we will have to make small modifications to the cutting length and the material that is used.
For instance, by using cotton to replicate the texture of protected animals with the objective of making them more acceptable all whilst conserving our cultural identity.
Hairdressing and make-up is associated with traditional dance outfits outfits in order to make them more original, sophisticated and tendentious.
The abandonment of these practices will allow us to promote the protection of biodiversity and rare species, with the aim of guaranteeing the sustainable development of Africa, particularly Cameroon.
This English translation has been possible thanks to the PerMondo project: Free translation of website and documents for non-profit organisations. A project managed by Mondo Agit. Translator: Callum Melay.