ABSTRACT
Banyang homeland lies in the central area of the basin of the upper Cross River. Before they became subject to Colonial rule, Banyang were not politically united as a people. The first recorded entry into Banyang country by a European was in July 1888, when Count Eugen von Zintgraff travelled northwards from the station he had opened at Lake Barombi in Kumba to carry out reconnaisance for a further station which he was to site and open at Bali, in the highland country beyond the north-eastern borders of Banyang territory. Colonial rule meant first and foremost for Banyang their subjection to a strong central authority whose political power had simply to be accepted. A second important sphere of change is in economic life: the introduction of new forms of wealth has created new standards of living, and the newly presented opportunities for obtaining money have given rise to new or modified aims in life.
