Bringing together so many people, drawing upon such a wealth of profiles and energies, aiming for communion and building a shared dream — this cannot be confined to the mere frame of a festival.
Bia So Mengong asserts itself irrevocably as a forward-thinking project, a decisive break from self-centered initiatives focused solely on self-promotion. It becomes an open-air school, an abbah mi koukouma,
a sacred site of initiation in the purest tradition of the forest peoples, in keeping with the great lineage of African thought, and resonating within a globalist logic.
As the clock slips its hands free of time and ticks down the final hours before the curtain rises, I quietly rewind the film of past years. I recall the winding paths of the hikes,
the richness of local tourism, the unique spirit of the Fraternity Tournament, the fervor of the various competitions, the tasting of traditional dishes, and above all, the grand celebration of culture and the arts.
Images return to me — gathered tribes, festival-goers sitting in circles around the fire during the Great Evening in the Village,
the storyteller’s voice braided with the ritual sound of the mvet, the distant cry of a baboon — a wild, unexpected note perfecting the symphony of the moment.
I still carry on my tongue the mythical flavor of the medim medzon, that prized elixir of men, delicately prepared by women, who are just as much its honored recipients.
The memory is dense — like the thick greenery one must cross to reach Endam, to the home of the Prof, where visits and celebrations are never absent.
I carry a vivid memory of that not-so-distant time that already feels like longing. The warmth of handshakes, the melody and rhythm of greetings,
the unity of gatherings, the spontaneity of meetings, the budding friendships, the nascent couples.
Vacations in color, vacations in warmth, vacations in sweetness.
I have not forgotten the great intellectual gathering around books and masks. I have not lost sight of the place given to entrepreneurship
— especially through that FNE workshop on job creation, focused that year on agri-business.
Some moments may have slipped from my grasp… But thankfully, this year, I am better prepared.
This year, I know the concerts will be vibrant: Nyangono du Sud, Hen’s, Vanister, Donny El Wood, Koppo, Amina Pouloh, Blacky Star, Suzie l’Intouchable — these are just a few of the names announced for free, spectacular performances.
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This year, too, I thirst to drink from the wellspring of patriarch Ambroise Mbia,
theater icon, pillar of the stage, enduring treasure of our cultural heritage.
I long to be there — to witness the rising stars of choral singing, the bright lights of future runway icons. I’m eager to attend the much-anticipated rematch of a Songho player,
determined to settle scores with his rival, who continues to assure his fans: he has not lost his edge.
I’m surely forgetting a few things… But I know one thing for certain: the children haven’t forgotten that during the Bia So Mengong Festival,
the show Les Cop’s d’abord is just for them. Nor have they forgotten that The Belinga Foundation always seizes the opportunity to offer them gifts —
countless tokens meant to encourage their walk along the path of learning.
Let me just say it again, for memory’s sake: the festival runs from July 12 to 26, 2025. See you there.
Bia So Mengong Festival - Where Dreams Became Reality!