18/05/2026
Museums Uniting a Divided World: Preserving the Heritage of Achu at the Bafut Royal Museum.
On the occasion of World Museum Day, 18 May 2026
By the Achu Festival Organizing Committee, Bafut.
Greetings to the People of Bafut in particular, Northwest in general and to the Global Museum Community
On this World Museum Day, celebrated under the theme “Museums Uniting a Divided World”, the Achu Festival Organizing Committee joins museums across the globe to reflect on the power of culture to connect people beyond difference.
Museums are not just buildings of the past. They are living spaces where identity is remembered, dialogue is nurtured, and common humanity is rediscovered. In a world where communities are often separated by politics, distance, and misunderstanding, museums remind us of what we share.
Achu: More Than Food, a Cultural Identity
For the people of Bafut and the wider North West Region of Cameroon, "Achu" is more than a dish. It is heritage passed down by our ancestors, a culinary practice that brings families together, a symbol of hospitality, and a marker of who we are.
The preparation of Achu involves specific tools, techniques, and knowledge: the grinding stones, the mortars for pounding colocassia, the traditional spoons, the serving bowls, and the rituals that accompany the meal. These utensils and practices carry the memory of generations. Yet, as modernization advances, many of these artifacts risk being lost, and the knowledge risks fading with the elders who hold it.
Our Commitment: An Achu Heritage Space at the Bafut Royal Museum
In line with the spirit of World Museum Day, the "Achu Festival Organizing Committee" is preparing to create a dedicated museum space for Achu production utensils and artifacts within the "Bafut Royal Museum".
This space will:
1. Preserve the physical tools and artifacts used in traditional Achu preparation.
2. Document the oral knowledge, songs, and practices associated with the dish.
3. Educate younger generations and visitors on the cultural and historical significance of Achu.
4. Promote Bafut’s culinary heritage as part of Cameroon’s diverse cultural landscape.
By safeguarding these objects, we are not only preserving a meal. We are preserving a way of life, a system of community, and a story of resilience handed down by our ancestors.
Museums as Bridges
The theme “Museums Uniting a Divided World” speaks directly to our purpose. Bafut, like many communities, has faced division and hardship in recent years. But culture remains a bridge that brings people back together.
When a young person sees the grinding stone their great grandmother used, when a visitor from outside tastes Achu and understands its story, when communities gather around their shared heritage, division gives way to connection.
The Achu heritage space will stand as a reminder that our differences in language, background, or circumstance do not erase our shared humanity. It will invite dialogue, pride, and mutual respect.
A Call to Action
We call on the people of Bafut, sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora, traditional authorities, cultural institutions, and partners to support this initiative. Donate artifacts, share stories, and contribute to the preservation of what makes us Bafut.
On this World Museum Day, we reaffirm that museums are not silent. They speak for the ancestors, they speak to the present, and they speak to the future.
May the Bafut Royal Museum continue to be a place where our past unites us, and where our culture lights the path forward.
A.NGWA-SIAKA SHUNEH
"NFOR-NTA'AH TAMANDOO I OF BAFUT
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
Achu Festival Organizing Committee
Bafut, North West Region, Cameroon
18 May 2026
