Origin:

Bimbia (Isu people) originate from one family, headed by Mbim’ba Mbella who settled in Bona Ngombe and had three children, Ngombe, Losenge and Ngolo. Over time, Ngombe remained in Bona Ngombe, while Bona Ngolo established themselves in current day Dikolo and Bona Losenge in current day Bona Bille. These three vilages make up Bimbia.

The Bimbia language, culture, tradition, dress, food is similar to that of the Douala people although other theories have them originating from Mboko etc.

Read more on the origin of the Bimba people. Click here

Slave trade and contact with the outside world:

Bimbia was once a busy seaport where Portugal and Spain arrived in the 1400s. the natives carved a role for themselves as middlemen trading in Ivory, kola nuts, and peppers from the interior with slaves being the main commodity. The Germans and the British arrived after the 1884 Conference of Berlin to colonise.

Read more on the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. Click here

Missionary influence:

In 1844, the Baptist mission established a station in Bimbia and attempted to introduce Christianity and educate the locals, unfortunately this was met with resistance as King William opposed their insistence on prayer and rejection of polygamy. Victoria, now Limbe was established in 1858 by Alfred Saker bought land from King William of Bimbia. By 1875, Victoria had become a cosmopolitan town with numerous missions and schools populated by freed slaves, businesses, Cameroonians and Christians from various coastal areas The missionary Joseph Merrick opened a church and school in Bimbia and translated the bible into Bimbia. Evidence of these interactions are visible today at the slave site, the Bible in the Bimbia language, the church in Bona Ngombe and several missions and monuments in Limbe.

Read more on the missionary influence on Bimba.  Click here

The Bimbia Slave site- a heritage site:

The Bimbia slave site is just one of many relics of slavery as seen in the Gold Coast (Ghana) and Gore (Senegal). The Practice of slavery, witchcraft, religion and colonization had a huge impact on the culture, tradition and even the decline of the settlement.

Read more on the missionary influence on Bimba.  Click here

Read more on the translation of the bible into Bimba.  Click here