ketoya speaks (intro)

“Ketoya speaks; Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland, a century later” forms a phase in a body of reflections, on revolts against Germany’s colonial occupation of Kamerun from 1894-1916.
In early 2016, Eyongakpa recorded soundscapes, elders, landscapes and interiors from Ketoya to Nsanakang as he traveled throughout his ancestral lands of Manyu, historical Southern Cameroons, South West, of present day Cameroon. The first phase explores what is left of the Anyang , Ossindinge revolts and the Mpawmanku wars (1904-1906), from local perspective, through audio recordings, photography and inter-media installations. The recorded material from preserved memories, oral recounts ( by chiefs, elders and towns people) forge fragmentary narratives  with fresh perspectives which also tends to question the veracity of certain historical allegations. Allegations ranging from cannibalistic practices on German soldiers to questions around the authors of rapes, supposedly by hired mercenaries. During the journey, Eyongakpa recorded a series of photographs, among which landscapes with landmarks from the revolts and communal spaces, with illegible views of elders or the artist’s apparition-like body.
“Ketoya speaks”#1 photography installation has been presented at, “The Walther Collection” space in Ulm (2017) and at “Huis Marseille” museum (2018) in the context of the exhibition, Recent Histories; contemporary African photography and video Art.

video excerpt/ process                                                                                                                               unprocessed processes/ Nsanakang-Ketoya-Baso; Ossindinge speaks…a century later

Installation views, Recent histories, Walther Collection, Ulm, May-Nov  2017

Untitled III (Ketoya), Ketoya speaks/(Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland;                                 a century later), 2016Untitled XI (Ketoya), Ketoya speaks/(Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland;                                 a century later), 2016Untitled XIV (Ketoya), Ketoya speaks/(Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland;                                 a century later), 2016
Untitled XXVI (Ketoya), Ketoya speaks/(Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland;                                 a century later), 2016Untitled IX (Baso, Eshobi road), Ketoya speaks/(Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland;            a century later), 2016Untitled V (Baso, Eshobi road), Ketoya speaks/(Dɛnyaland-Kɛnyaŋland-Kɛyakaland;              a century later), 2016

installation view, the incantation of the disquieting muse,saavy contemporary, 2016 (documented by India Roper-Evans

THE INCANTATION OF THE DIQUIETING MUSE BY INDIA ROPER-EVANS