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.

Planning under way

Michi Ebeng 2027 · 19–20 March 2027 · Handicraft Centre, Mile 4, Limbe

Explore Michi Ebeng 2027

THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT

3 on record, as recorded 2023. Each can claim their own entry and complete a profile.

Festival committee

AT A GLANCE

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.

Edition: Third edition

Focus: Mukonge dance groups

Note: Recorded in the minutes of the 2027 planning meeting (8 October 2026), which list three editions: Mukonge, then Kem, then Mukonge again. The minutes do not give this edition's date or venue; the Palace should confirm them.

Edition: Michi Ebeng 2027

Year: 2027

Display Date: 19–20 March 2027

Venue: Handicraft Centre, Mile 4, Limbe

Focus: Kem dance groups

Note: In planning. Held in Limbe because the Palace is being renovated and no village in Meta offered to host.

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. Third edition and the 2027 edition added 2026-10-17 from the planning committee's minutes of 8 October 2026 and their corrections of 9–10 October.

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