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    Home » News n Features

    PUBLISHED: Sep 4, 2016 · UPDATED: Apr 26, 2017 by Precious · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

    YOU KNOW YOU ARE CAMEROONIAN WHEN...

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    Cameroon

    Mr N just returned home with bags of Njama Njama from the farmers market. Then we started chatting about how it is easy to spot a Cameroonian at the farmer's market based on how their eyes scan the plan in search of our beloved  Njama Njama, which is known in English as garden huckleberry. You can almost ascertain a person's "Cameroonianess" when you see how the person hunts for these green leaves as though they have the power of life and death.

    After the chat, I started thinking of the various things that make Cameronians, Cameroonian. They range from food to language, to childhood memories and experiences. You know you are Cameroonian when...

    1. Party time means eat, drink, repeat. Food! Food!! More Food!!!
    2. Good food to you is Eru, Ndole and Burning Fish. You have a love-love relationship with these meals and the moments you devour them are moments of pure joy.
    3. You call beer "one man", "shack" or "mimbo".

    4. You have eaten puff puff and beans at least once in your life.

    5. You have cursed Mami Puff Puff for not selling at her food joint on a day she was sick and you really wanted puff puff. Wicked woman!

    6. Some form of rice must be cooked on Christmas day

    7. You look forward to long road trips because of all the food you will buy at stops. Burning planti and plum, burning fish, Pamplemousse, soya.

    8. Your father was always first in school. How can you fail?

    9. Your mother called you at some point in your childhood to run from where ever you were playing and give her something that was literally inches away from her.

    "Azahhh!!! Gimme that coco for front dey make ah peel am"

    10. Your home was never made up of just father, mother and kids. I grew up with uncles, cousins and aunts, relatives, you name it. Pa and Ma Nchifor, I hail oo!


    11. Football is your life or the life of those around you. I never liked football but my dad and brothers LOVE football. 
    12. You ask for "dash" when you are done shopping.
    13. You speak English and some form of French (whether broken or fixed). Or you speak French and some form of English.

    14. You played tabala, cizo, dodging and ehn ehn while growing up.
    15. You sang songs like:
    Mr Cocoji e bikin di falla goat
    E nack e food... (Please complete for me)
    16. You fought pretend war in uncompleted buildings.
    17. You made cars out of flip-flops and wood.

    18. You cooked mud as food in tomato and sardine cans.

    19. You call flip-flops, "two-rope sleppas"

    20. You have been late for everything in your life but you arrived early for your American visa interview.
    21. You call your mother, "reme" and your father, "repe"
    22. Your father had almost nothing to do with the kitchen while you were growing up. Shout out to Mr N who cooked something looking like Irish Potato Hotpot and called it, Poulet DG.
    23. You call your friends, "boh", "massa" or "o boy"
    24. Everyone may call you " Precious" but your family members will call you, "Meshi' or "Ma Meshi" or  "Mamire" because that's the name that matters to them. Precious is "waiman" name and Meshi is "contri" name and that's the one they identify with.

    25. A visit to someone's home is not complete without you being served food and/or drink. Once upon a time, young boy put his hands on his head in disbelief because my younger brother refused a drink offer from a neighbour he was visiting. He was literally like this:

    How you go deny mimbo??? Did I cover everything? Wona add wona own oo.

    What are the characteristics of the people in your country? Please share below.

    pre-signature-pro

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    About Precious

    Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Evy says

      September 04, 2016 at 2:50 pm

      Soo funny, can definitely relate to all of these, how you go deny mambo forreal, playing ehhn ehhn, haha, or giving someone directions you go pass that big mango tree so for ur right climb small hill n that Mami wae di sell koki beans.... etc lol

      Reply
    2. Precious Nkeih says

      September 04, 2016 at 3:12 pm

      Hahahaha Evy! That way for give description na de eye.
      Thanks for stopping by, dear!

      Reply
    3. Angele marie says

      September 04, 2016 at 3:15 pm

      Good one, u really brought out the memories. You know u are cameroonian when every little opportunity is a party, serving a variety of food and drinks and music and dance to go with it

      Reply
    4. Precious Nkeih says

      September 04, 2016 at 4:10 pm

      Ateyu. Every opportunity is a chance to celebrate with food and drink.

      Reply
    5. kewrites says

      September 05, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      hahahaha number 7 is a story of my life. My UB days, I used to look forward to the melong stop. You know you are Cameroonian when you dance to the sound of Bikutsi/makossa, bensikin etc unconciously even if you don't understand the lyrics.

      Reply
    6. Joy2Endure says

      September 05, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      Yi nack yi foot fo jigga yi wan side belly high 🙂

      Lol you really captured the essence of what it means to be Cameroonian. Plus we played seven stones and your mum will tell you... 'if ah catch you you go tell me if na me born you or na you born me'.

      Sitting by the fireside roasting corns and plums and telling stories while the rains pour. Camer is truly unique in many ways.

      Majority of anglophone households cook only with black maggi.

      Reply
    7. shirra mims says

      September 05, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      i just remembered one other funny one,

      you know your a Cameroonian when you and your friend goes to visit your school crush and after the long walking journey, you arrive the house looking forward to eat and when your ask, your friend quickly says, " He just said hes not hungry"

      You know your a cameroonian when youve never dated but you know the in and outs of it and always have a fake story about u and one girl or guy whom they later discovered never existed

      Reply
    8. shirra mims says

      September 05, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      you know you are a Cameroonian when the guy asking you out needed to buy you biscuits and top. One of my auntys own boo used to get her but mbu lmaoooooooo

      you know you are a cameroonian when that "old-pa" who always comes to "langa" calls you his wife and OMG, crying to the first power while other make fun of you

      you know you are a cameroonian when your crush is your neighbours cousins who always comes for vacation and leave but you never say it to them while your action says it all.

      you know you are a Cameroonian when your ID says you are one. One love my people!!

      Reply
    9. shirra mims says

      September 05, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      You know you are a Cameroonian when playing "all-head" was bad when you win in one side and not the other

      You know you are a Camerooniann when you cant wait for "crimo" day to come so you wear your "cha-cha" and "kosh-kosh"

      You know you are a Cameroonian when they sent you to serve water in a glass and you taste a little. hahahahahaha

      You know you are a Cameroonian when you used to stage ballet in your neighbours kids bday

      You know you are a Cameroonian when your playing at the "backside" with your friends and they call you and you grumble twisting your body and swinging your arms with a twisted face

      You know your a Cameroonian when they you give your chalk to "azongo" or "backbenchers" or people who have repeated class one for more than one year to tell you a movie of sango-koo drawn on a paper

      you know you are a cameroonian when your elders eat your meat in the name of "apetit" and you refuse, they threaten you lololol chai

      you know your a cameroonian when as you get old, you cant wait to do these same things to your juniors lmaoo

      you know you are a Cameroonian when you are watching movie with your elders and they show a kissing part, OMG "close those eyes" at you. My grandma was like "kiss-am" since the movie was slowing during such scenes lmaooo

      fun memoirs. Thank you. Will be coming back here for some recipes

      Reply
    10. Precious Nkeih says

      September 05, 2016 at 6:10 pm

      Hahahah Shirra! You are Cameroonian to the core.

      That swinging of arms and twisting of face when 'they' call you is so real.
      That eating of your meat in the name of 'appetit'. Wey! Na appetit again for weti wey person di enjoy chop nor?

      You are so funny! Thanks for this comment, dear. There are many Camer recipes here to dig into so enjoy!

      Reply
    11. Precious Nkeih says

      September 05, 2016 at 6:14 pm

      HAHAHAHA at mbu!!!
      Those old pas who used to langa! I know quite a few. LOL

      Reply
    12. Precious Nkeih says

      September 05, 2016 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks Kachee!!

      Reply
    13. Precious Nkeih says

      September 05, 2016 at 6:19 pm

      Dah pipo dem for bush
      Dem bikin di laugh
      Ha ha ha mister ccoji!

      LOL sis. I still play seven stones in front of my house ya. It is so sweet. I see my neighbours admiring me like, "that is cool".

      Reply
    14. Precious Nkeih says

      September 05, 2016 at 6:23 pm

      Hahahah I know right! Those meals during a journey are the "bestest".
      Some of those songs eh, we don't even know what they are saying but we keep rocking along.

      Reply
    15. Precious Nkeih says

      September 05, 2016 at 6:25 pm

      LOL. Thanks darling!
      My attire is from the North West Region of Cameroon and it is called "Toghu".

      Reply
    16. Kachee Tee says

      September 05, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      I'm here for the photo. You look gorgeous! And a lot of these are pretty common with Nigerians as well.

      http://www.KacheeTee.com
      8 Interesting Types of Dancers You'll Find at a Nigerian Wedding Party

      Reply
    17. Berry Dakara says

      September 06, 2016 at 12:10 am

      LOL, like my fellow Nigerians have said, we share quite a few characteristics as you guys.

      Berry Dakara Blog

      Reply
    18. Itunu says

      September 05, 2016 at 5:25 pm

      ??????This was funny and that is one lovely looking print on you! Some of these things are also similar to Nigerians though the dash after shopping is seen as jara. I believe there are more than 10 languages in Nigeria and so one tribe might say we call it this, another one says we call it that. All in all, as long as the point was gotten. lol

      Reply
    19. Nwamaka Ajaegbu says

      September 06, 2016 at 12:38 pm

      LOL. I guess it runs in the blood - We are Africans.

      amakamedia.com

      Reply
    20. Cheechee Live says

      September 06, 2016 at 12:38 pm

      lol!!We Nigerians have some things in common.Your hair is pretty.

      http://www.cheecheelive.com

      Reply
    21. Joy2Endure says

      September 06, 2016 at 2:33 pm

      Hahahahaha whey child hood.
      Seven stone is cool for real I still play it now and then.
      BTW love ya Toghu and the surprise fo deny mimbo pischure, Classic!

      Reply
    22. Tessy Onyia says

      September 06, 2016 at 12:38 pm

      Lol, you look good dear, loving your outfit.

      http://www.tessyonyia.com

      Reply
    23. Bubu Green says

      September 06, 2016 at 10:27 pm

      Hahaha...Numbers 12 and 20 got me the most.We share a lot in common. Nigerians and Cameroonians.
      http://www.bubusboulevard.com

      Reply
    24. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 1:25 am

      Hahaha no be so? Thank you, sis!

      Reply
    25. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 1:27 am

      Quite a few, dear!

      Reply
    26. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 1:28 am

      Thanks darling!

      Reply
    27. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 1:30 am

      It truly runs in the blood.

      Reply
    28. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 1:34 am

      Thanks Tess!

      Reply
    29. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 1:38 am

      Alot, Bubu. Alot!

      Reply
    30. Precious Nkeih says

      September 07, 2016 at 5:02 am

      You are not the only one who has thought that way. We are one, though.

      Reply
    31. tega enai says

      September 07, 2016 at 4:35 am

      lol really funny post.. For some reason I thought you were Nigerian lol.. Maybe see all the food.. meatpie, puff puff in my head only Nigerians call them that.
      We have alot of similarities though.

      http://www.tegaenai.com
      Being Antisocial
      xoxo

      Reply
    32. Precious Nkeih says

      September 09, 2016 at 12:08 am

      Hahaha Nzoloh beating! Oh my! Memories!!!

      Reply
    33. Ngumabi says

      September 08, 2016 at 10:55 pm

      You know you are a Cameroonian when you play "Nzoloh beating" after school and receive the beating of your life as you get very dirty, then you go home and receive another serious beating from your mom.

      Reply
    34. Chinelo Okoli says

      September 12, 2016 at 3:20 pm

      Presh you no go kill me o1 haha.
      i'm not cameroonian but can relate with some of this stuff.

      Nelo's Halo Blog

      Reply
    35. Precious Nkeih says

      September 13, 2016 at 4:16 am

      Lol no be so?

      Reply
    36. Joy2Endure says

      September 19, 2016 at 8:22 pm

      Hahahahahahaha Cameroonian to the core. Epic and best response! You sabi!

      http://www.joy2endure.com

      Reply
    37. soso 112 says

      January 16, 2017 at 1:38 am

      You know you are a Cameroonian when you go swimming after school in the stream and water carries one side of your shoe away.Then you know say cha-ah don bad

      Reply
      • Precious says

        January 16, 2017 at 2:03 am

        Cha don bad ???

        Reply

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