BFU-USA

Background:

BFU-USA is primarily a cultural organization. As one of the three areas of our strategic focus, Culture is the cornerstone of the fabric of this nation-wide organization. Over the centuries, our culture has been transmitted down orally and through imitation and practice.

Our mission is to establish BFU-USA as the leader in cultural excellence among the diaspora in North America. There is a dire need for this folklore of traditional beliefs, practices, legends, traditional rites, tales, songs and a myriad of dances to be documented for posterity. It is a prerogative and incumbent on BFU-USA to empower itself through education, cultural presentations and festivals in order to showcase and share this exuberant culture with our children and counterparts in North America and beyond..

Our vision is to realize a dream of cultural exuberance and excellence, a spirit that will never die. Culture is an undeniable arm of human development and bondage.

A dynamic committee on culture exists within the organization and has the mandate to protect, preserve and promote our culture through the following activities:

• Promote cultural awareness among the Bui elements in the diaspora.
• Educate ourselves, our children and members of our U.S. communities about the culture and explore every opportunity to showcase and share our culture
• Assist existing and pending chapters to own and maintain cultural dances and organize cultural events.
• Collaborate with our Bui and US-based counterparts and benefactors in a cultural exchange program and to raise funds for cultural events and charities
• Document on print and audio-visual media, all aspects of Bui folklore, create and maintain a library/culture museum in North America

BFU-USA cultural activities and projects include:

National Level:

• Serve as the lead and liaison with the chapters, the counterparts and benefactors to continue to rekindle the spirit of cultural awareness.
• Provide the necessary impetus, coordination and financial and other resources to the chapters to organize yearly cultural conventions of BFU-USA.

Chapter level:

• Own and maintain one or more traditional dances
• Organize yearly cultural events (educational presentations, workshops on culture, music/dances, clothing/fashion parades, theatrical sketches of rites and rituals,  display of traditional art and crafts, etc)  to showcase our culture and raise funds for BFU charities.

Outreach:

• Collaborate with cultural and development associations within the five sub-divisions of Bui to promote cultural events (e.g. Ngonso and other cultural festivals
• Collaborate with all the Kingdoms (Fondoms) of Bui division to foster respect and integrity of our chieftaincy, family and societal structures and hierarchies, because this is who we are and proudly so.
• Collaborate with Bui-based language societies to maintain, document and translate nationally and internationally recognized documents and books into the different languages in Bui. We are proud to know that the bible already exists in Lamnso (the language of Nso tribe)

Our achievements between 1998 and 2008 have included:

• • The maiden visit  of His Majesty Sehm Mbinglo I, paramount king(Fon) of Nso to the U.S.A. in 2003, a visit that was filled with unprecedented cultural events, pomp and pageantry.
  • The invitation of folklore musician Richard Kings (link) to the Dallas convention in 2007, a musical extravaganza worthy of a rising star. He graced a series of chapter fundraising/family events and BFU-USA’s offertory procession at the Sunday service of the Dallas African Baptist church before returning home.
  • New Jersey chapter honored an invitation to showcase the Kikum dance (link) at the back-to-school cultural diversity exchange program organized by the Orange Municipal council in summer of 2007.
  • Chapters to produce and display flags (chapters, state) to add pomp and pageantry to the convention.
  • Produce miniature chapter flags for the women’s Toh dance and assist in the design of a cultural awards trophy for the latter.
  • Assist BFU-USA cultural magazine project with information and develop a cultural awareness program with the youth and kids.
  • The Ngonso week and Kovifem activities were supported by BFU-USA by giving a financial donation and also getting videotapes recorded of the events. The Ngonso communication committee also donated a set of videos to the organization.
  • The people of Nkar fondom also lost their Fon – monarch – and a new one was installed. BFU-USA also supported this event as well.
  • Sons and daughters of Nkar, with the support of a couple of local chapters in Georgia and Northern California. Contributions enabled materials to zinc the Vihkiyntohs houses but this gesture sparked the revival and renovation in the palace by other sons and daughters around the world, nothing short of an exemplary show of solidarity and community spirit.
  • A cultural calendar is being produced for the first time in that organization in two major languages in Bui division - Nso and Oku languages. Future looks bright for BFU-USA and we continue to look for opportunities to promote and preserve our culture and live up to our mission.
• Establishment of the following dance groups (toh, kikum, Longsi, and Njang) within the various chapters of BFU-USA.
• Organization of national conventions with cultural fanfare in Washington DC in 1989, Minnesota in 1997, Atlanta in 2006, and Dallas in 2007.
• Successfully earmarking Friday evenings as an all-cultural extravaganza during yearly national conventions.
• Successfully launching the following chapters ( Dallas in…, Houston in …, Atlanta in …, Chicago in …., New Jersey in 2001, Kansas in 2005, & northern California in 2008) within a backdrop of cultural dances and rituals.
• Participation at the death of late Fon Ngum II of Oku and participation at His majesty Fon Foto’s visit to Bui.
• Achieved cultural exchange programs have included:

Non-the-less, like any human endeavor, we have and continue to face challenges that we hopefully intend to overcome as we make giant steps into the future. These include:

• the continuous struggle to stay united in the service of our community and instill a sense of healthy fraternity and sorority, among the Bui elements within the BFU-USA community
• the ability to create and maintain existing chapters respectively in all the states of the United States of America where ever Bui elements reside.
• How to get members to be more pro-active in committees, and in the planning and execution of activities.
• Broaden our strategies and scope of fund-raising activities and our sphere of activities to embrace Black history month, Kwanza and other similar events.
• Broaden our Identify reliable, resourceful and long-lasting contacts to help with our projects back home and in the U.S.A.