Itinéraires et insertion postcoloniale des « interprètes sénégalais » au Cameroun

Journal article

By the departure of the Germans from Cameroon after World War I, their French successors were facing germanophilism that challenges their policy which aimed to impose French culture on the newly conquered territory. The educational system which is still not yet implemented did not facilitate their administration. In this context, France uses “Senegalese” interpreters’; that is the generic designation which is taking into consideration officers brought from French West Africa into Cameroon in order to reinforce their colonial administration. The so called “Senegalese” interpreters’ ended up holding important positions in the areas of education, health and territorial administration. After independence, some of them remained in Cameroon. The purpose of this contribution in one hand is to dynamically examine the background itinerary of the “Senegalese” interpreters’ in Cameroon while highlighting their actions and the strategies they deployed for their socio-professional integration during the post-colonial period. In the other, we pay attention to the outcome of their descendants.

Authors: Garakcheme, G

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Vestiges: Traces of Record
• Host title: History and Development. Essays dedicated to Professors Thierno Mouctar Bah and Eldridge Mohammadou
• Journal: Vestiges: Traces of Record
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Publication date: 2025-10-12
• DOI: 10.82319/vestiges.v11i1.388
• ISSN: 2058-1963
• Language: French
• Keywords: “Senegalese” interpreters; Cameroon; French West Africa; post-colonial period; socio-professional integration