The next Mɨchi Əbeŋ festival will take place on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 March 2027 at the Handicraft Centre, Mile 4, Limbe. The dates and the venue were agreed at the first planning meeting, held online on the evening of Thursday 8 October 2026 with sixteen members, coordinated by the Ngamfon, Fah Elvis Tayong.

Three editions so far

The meeting began by thanking the Fon of Guneku, who initiated the festival, and looking back over its three editions: a Mukonge dance competition the first year, the Kem dance the second, and the Mukonge again the third — each with an exhibition, traditional dishes and other traditional dances. Members recalled that food was served in wooden bowls and that only palm wine was served, in traditional cups.

Why Limbe

Asked why the festival is leaving the village this time, the meeting heard three reasons: the Guneku Palace is being renovated, no village in Meta offered to host the festival, and some of the dance groups that came to the village for earlier editions travelled from Buea and Limbe.

What was agreed

  • The competition for 2027 is the Kem dance. Room will be given on the first day for other dances and animation.
  • Nine committees will prepare the festival: organising; transport and logistics; entertainment, food and drinks; decorations; health; fundraising; cultural activities and protocol; communication and advertising; and finance, evaluation and prizes.
  • The organising committee will obtain the permit, and the cultural committee will call on the traditional authority of the area — in the South West, a chief, as a member pointed out afterwards.
  • The committees’ terms of reference will be drawn up by Tah Eric Teke, Moris Forkam, Ni Samba Jonathan, the Regent Mbakwa Bernard, and the Ngamfon, Fah Elvis Tayong.

What has been proposed

Towards the end of the meeting, the Vice President of GUDECA, Ticha Elias Mbekwa, put forward a set of activities. They are proposals for the committees to consider, not a confirmed programme:

  • the election of a Mister and Miss Michi Ebeng;
  • traditional dishes for sale by registered members;
  • a fifteen-minute sketch on how a Meta marriage is traditionally contracted;
  • a documentary on giant screens showing earlier editions, the 31 villages of Meta and places such as the Caves of Guneku;
  • the participation of SAWA artists or traditional dancers;
  • a traditional wear competition with registration and prizes;
  • an inter-village tug of war, with the finalists facing a SAWA team.

The draft minutes credited these proposals to another member; the record was corrected on 10 October.

The meeting closed at 9.40 p.m. The closing remark welcomed the fact that planning had begun early enough to be done well.

Follow the preparations on the Michi Ebeng 2027 page.