The Tikar are a group of related ethnic group

Ethnic group

An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...

s in Cameroon

Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

. They live primarily in the northwestern part of the country, in the Northwest Province near the Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

n border. They speak Bantoid language, also called Tikar

Tikar language

Tikar is a Bantoid language of uncertain classification spoken in Cameroon by the Bankim, Ngambe, and related Tikar peoples, as well as by the Bedzan Pygmies...

. Their population is approximately 25,000.

The Tikar have elements of matrilineal and patrilineal descent. Their folk belief states that during pregnancy the blood that the woman would normally release during menstruation forms parts of the fetus. This blood is said to form the skin, blood, flesh and most of the organs. The bones, brain, heart and teeth are believed to be formed from the father's sperm.http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/Rainforest/SML_files/Pricede/descent_1.html In the case of a son the masculinity also comes from this. The Tikar are also noted as mask-makers.

The primary religion of the Tikar people is Islam.

The share their language with the Bedzan

Bedzan people

The Bedzan people, singular Medzan, also known as the Tikar, are a Pygmy people of Cameroon. The Bedzan community, in Yoko Commune on the Tikar Plain, is estimated at between 250 and 1200...

 pygmies.

For the 2006 PBS television program African American Lives

African American Lives

African American Lives is a PBS television miniseries hosted by historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr., focusing on African American genealogical research...

, the noted African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 musician Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones

Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...

had his DNA tested; the test showed him to be of Tikar descent.

External links

• Tikar entry at Ethnologue site
• Article about Bamenda and Tikar