CULTURE
MƗCHI ƏBEŊ FESTIVAL
Mɨchi Əbeŋ is the Guneku festival of return — a day given to ancient arts and craft, traditional delicacies, the mother tongue and traditional dress. It was revived after a hiatus of six years caused by the armed conflict in the region, and it carries the Mukonge and Kwem dance group competitions.
THE RECORD
Statusactive
CategoryCulture
PatronHRH Fon Fomuki Walters Ticha IX
VenueGuneku Palace
In the diasporaThe diaspora mirrors the festival abroad. GUDECA Europe held a Michi Ebeng (Bonn edition) at the Fon's Palace in Bonn on 28 March 2026, deliberately on the same day the festival was celebrated in Guneku village.
Meta contextMeta context: MEFU, the Meta Fons Union, and MECUDA, the Meta Cultural and Development Association.
ALTERNATE SPELLINGS
- Michi Ebeng
- Mɨchi Əbeŋ Mɨta’
EDITIONS
Edition: Maiden edition
Year: 2023
Display Date: April 2023
Venue: Guneku Palace
Note: The revival edition, held after a six-year hiatus caused by the armed conflict in the region. Marked by an exhibition of ancient arts and craft, traditional delicacies, use of the mother tongue and traditional dress.
Album: mchibe-mta-event-guneku2023
Edition: Second edition
Year: 2024
Display Date: Saturday, 23 March 2024
Venue: Guneku Palace
Focus: Kwem dance groups
Note: The article announcing this edition is headlined April 2024 while its text gives Saturday 23 March 2024. Both are recorded; the Palace should confirm which is correct.
RELATED DANCES
Name: Masangon
Note: Guneku traditional royalty dance; performed at the GUDECA Europe gathering in Bonn, March 2026.
Name: Kwem Dance Group
Note: Guneku dance group; also performs in Limbe.
Name: Mbemi Mukonge Dance Group
Note: Performed at the Guneku Agro CIG launch, April 2026.
Name: Nkem Dance Group
Note: Performed at the Guneku Agro CIG launch, April 2026.
FILMS
Youtube Id: 3NrHXqm1zPc
Youtube Id: gBro0ZC-JqM
Youtube Id: GtKFg4e6XNQ
Youtube Id: TswnPNtU2nU
Youtube Id: OjSdjO_FOC4
Youtube Id: aAw_1B10vZM
DANCE COMPETITION
Name: Clash of Mukonge Dance Groups in Meta
Planning Meeting: Saturday, 18 March 2023, in the inner court of the Guneku Palace
Rules
- Each participating group limited to a maximum of 20 and a minimum of 15 members
- Each performance to last at most seven minutes
- All competing groups to be present on the event ground by 10 a.m. on the day
Album: mukonge-dance-groupsin-meta
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
As recorded: 2023
Members
- {"name":"Fongoh P. Ayeh","role":"Head of the organising committee","note":"Also the publisher of the Mbengwi Online community record."}
- {"name":"Tebo Julius","role":"Committee member"}
- {"name":"Bandeh Godwill","role":"Committee member"}
Note: Recorded for the 2023 edition. Not published as the present committee unless the Palace confirms it.
IN THE NEWS ARCHIVE
Consolidated 2026-09-01 from the existing update articles and gallery albums. No edition later than the second is recorded in this repository. Organising committee and films added 2026-09-02 from the reconciliation; the committee is dated to 2023 rather than presented as current.