About Us
Who We Are
The Ewondo History & Genealogy Society in America works to restore connections, preserve culture, and build a bridge between Africa and the diaspora.
Official Logo of EHGSA
Our Identity
Our circular seal carries the GREEN, RED, AND YELLOW, with a bright yellow star in the center. The colors refect the traditional Pan-African movement and hold specifc meanings tied to the country's geograp[hy and history.
At its center, is the regal leopard: in Ewondo (Beti) culture a symbol of authority, royalty, and the fearless intelligence of our traditional leaders.
EHGSA Flag for the Diaspora
The Flag of Cameroon
The national flag of Cameroon is one of the most prominent PanAfrican flags, holding deep symbolic meaning for the nation’s geography and unity. For us, the Ewondo People in America, it symbolizes our ancestral homeland itself - stable, enduring, and continuous. The colors represent the land, the people's sacrifices, and hope for unity and prosperity. In this form, the flag reflects continuity and the unbroken identity of the Ewondo people in Cameroon
Pan-African Ewondo Flag Colors:
The Pan-African Ewondo flag colors are the same as those of the Flag of Cameroon, which is a vertical tricolor of green, red, and yellow, featuring a single, five-pointed golden star centered in the middle red band. The green stripe symbolizes the lush, dense vegetation and forests of the southern region. The red stripe represents unity, sovereignty, and the vital link between the country’s north and south. The yellow stripe stands for the sun and the rich savannas of the north. The Star is known as the “star of unity,” representing national unity.
Official Flag of our Ewondo people in America
As Ewondo descendants in the diaspora, especially those residing in America, and reconnecting with our ancestral homeland in Cameroon, we humbly place our Official Logo of EHGSA at the center of the Flag of Cameroon, symbolizing our reconnection efforts. At its center is the regal leopard representing our authority, royalty, and the fearless intelligence of our traditional leaders. However, the movement of the fabric represents the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the hardships associated with separation, displacement, and generations of struggle experienced by Ewondo descendants in America. The waves do not signify defeat. Rather, they embody resilience. Just as water is constantly moving, the Ewondo people in America have continued to move through history while maintaining a connection-however distant- to our heritage.
Our Heritage
Who Are the Ewondo?
The Ewondo (or Yaoundé) are a rainforest agro-fishery, Kolo-speaking people of the larger Beti-Pahuin ethnic group of Bantu origin, residing predominantly in Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon — a city in fact named after us.
The Beti-Pahuin or Beti-Ekang aboriginal Bantu group is found across the rainforest regions of Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Though separated into many clans, we all share a common origin, history, and culture.
Historically the Ewondo originated in the forests south of the Sanaga River. Forced migrations under 19th-century Fulbe raids carried our ancestors south and west in great waves — a story of resilience that continues today as descendants across the diaspora trace their lineage back home.
Our History
The Ewondo & the African Diaspora
Millions of Africans were forcibly displaced during the transatlantic slave trade, resulting in the loss of cultural identities and family histories for generations.
Today, modern tools such as DNA ancestry testing have allowed many descendants of enslaved Africans to reconnect with their ancestral origins. For some, this journey has led them back to the Ewondo people of Cameroon.
The Ewondo History & Genealogy Society in America works to restore these connections and strengthen the cultural bond between homeland communities and their descendants .
LEADERSHIP
About the Founding Board Members
Jason Chatman
Founding Board Member / President
Ewondo History & Genealogy Society in America
Rodney Brown
Founding Board Member / VP of Initiatives
Ewondo History & Genealogy Society in America
Cedric Alexander
Founding Board Member / Secretary / Treasurer
Ewondo History & Genealogy Society in America
“The Founding Board Members' lineage has been verified through DNA analysis conducted by African Ancestry, which traced their paternal genetic markers to specifically the Ewondo People Living in Cameroon. Their verification serves as both their personal confirmation of ancestral roots and an inspiration for others in the diaspora to explore their own heritage.
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Monthly stories from the homeland, genealogy tips, event invitations, and updates from the Decade of Return — delivered to your inbox.
People of the Nkul Drum
The Ewondo are known for the Bikutsi musical genre and the traditional Nkul slit drum. We are popularly called the People of the Drum of God — for the beat of the Nkul once reverberated through the trees and houses of our villages.
Language
We speak Ewondo (Kolo), a Bantu language in the Niger-Congo family. It is a dialect of the broader Beti language (Yaoundé-Fang), intelligible with Bulu, Eton, and Fang, and serves as a major trade language across Cameroon's Centre and South regions.
Many also speak Ewondo Populair, a Beti-based pidgin spoken in and around Yaoundé.
Economy & Livelihood
Most Ewondo maintain an agrarian lifestyle. Manioc and maize form the staple crops, alongside plantains, yams, and groundnuts — "Ewondo" and "Yaoundé" both mean groundnut. Greens, mushrooms, and palm products from the forest supplement the diet, while goats, pigs, and chickens forage in the villages.
The Ewondo & the African Diaspora
Millions of Africans were forcibly displaced during the transatlantic slave trade, resulting in the loss of cultural identities and family histories for generations.
Today, modern tools such as DNA ancestry testing have allowed many descendants to reconnect with their ancestral origins. For some, that journey leads back to the Ewondo people of Cameroon. The EHGSA exists to restore these connections and strengthen the cultural bond between homeland communities and their descendants abroad.