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THE PLACE OF THE ORAL TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES OF 
COMMUNICATION IN A DIGITAL ERA: THE CASE OF THE KENYANG- 

SPEAKING COMMUNITY

By
Mbu Martha Njui

Ph.D in Syntax
University of Maroua-Cameroon

Higher Teachers' Training College
Tel: 237-753-106-19

mbumartha80@yahoo.fr

Absract
enyang is a language spoken in the Southwest region of Cameroon precisely by people of KManyu. This paper seeks to investigate the place of oral traditional techniques of 
communication within the Kenyang-speaking community, in a time when large amount of 

information are widely available to many people, through computer technology. Data for this work 
is collected from both primary and secondary sources. Interviews, discussions and observation are 
instruments for the primary data collection. The theoretical framework use for this work is the verbal 
communication theory. The findings reveal that the oral traditional communication techniques used 
by the Kenyang-speaking community are still useful and they still fulfil the functions of 
communication within the community.  Also important is the fact that, the Kenyang traditional ways 
of communicating which include the oral and other symbolic non-verbal modes of communication, 
like /enok/,"drumʺ /gong/ / "ɲkanɛka" /bell/ ʺɛfɛpʺ /whistle/ clapping of hands, have served the 
people of Manyu from time immemorial and still remain powerful and useful as far as 
communication among the peoples is concerned.  We also discovered that, the Kenyang oral 
techniques of communication can work alongside modern techniques of communication.  The 
article recommends that more attention be given to traditional techniques of communication by the 
Kenyang speakers to equate sensitisation, mobilisation and collective efforts to help upgrade and 
strengthen the use of these traditional communication techniques in this digital era. 
Keywords:  Traditional tools, Kenyang language, Information technology, Communication.

Introduction
The Kenyang language as mentioned in the abstract, is spoken in the South west region of Cameroon 
precisely by the Manyu people. There are approximately 65000 Kenyang native speakers (Gordon 
2005).  It has three dialects which are, upper Kenyang, spoken by Upper Banyang people from the 
Eastern part of Manyu, lower Kenyang spoken by the people from the western part and middle 
Kenyang spoken by the Banyangs of the central region of Manyu. This accounts for 53 villages in 
Mamfe Central and Upper Banyang subdivisions respectively.  

According to Mnuagbaw (2000), the origin of the Banyangs is not clear cut. From the information 
we got from the people of the area and from researchers, some of the speakers originated from 
Keaka, Eastern Eyumojock and settled in the Upper Banyang area. The speakers are a combination 
of migrants from other neighbouring tribes like Kitwii (Balong people). This therefore influences 
the language resulting in the existing dialects mentioned above. It is important to note here that 
Lower Kenyang is the standard variety used for linguistic analysis. They share boundaries with 
speakers of other languages such as Boki, Eshobi, Mundani, Bangwa, Basossi, Baloni and Ejagham. 
There are three main roads in the Banyang area, all of them leading to Mamfe. These are roads from 

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Ekok, Bamenda and Kumba. All the three roads are in the lower Kenyang area, a small proportion of 
Upper Kenyang speakers are located along the Mamfe-Kumba road. Much more travelling is done 
on these roads than on the Bakebe-Fontem road which passes through the Upper Banyang area.  

Local Government Administration and the Socio-economic Situation of the Kenyang 
speakers 
Each Kenyang village is ruled by a chief (mfo'). These villages are equally sub divided into quarters, 
which are ruled by quarter-heads. These traditional administrators are supported by village notables. 
Hierarchy starts from the paramount chief to the quarter heads, and to the family heads. Chieftaincy 
is not hereditary but rotational. The Kenyang people still hold firm to their traditional modes of 
communication, and there are so many secret societies most of which are independent of the chief, 
since the chief must not be a member. These secret societies act as the police of the area, punish 
crimes and maintain discipline. Local administrative meetings of the chief and their quarter heads 
with other village notables as well as traditional rites, like the pouring of libation and cleansing is 
done exclusively in the mother tongue; this remains at the level of orals. Government administration 
is felt in the Kenyang villages through the divisional officer, to the sub divisional officer. Besides, 
there is a deputy manager in charge of civil status registration as well as forces of law and order. The 
government administers' the people through the traditional rulers. Traditional authorities in the 
different villages usually call for meetings to tell the people in the mother tongue through the use of 
some of their communication techniques, what the government policy is all about, especially during 
clean-up campaigns and community work.  

Many social and economic activities are carried out by the very resourceful and hardworking 
Banyang people who are geared towards the construction of their clan.  In addition to agriculture 
which dominates their economic activities, are hunting, weaving, carving, embroidery and tapping 
of palm wine. Most families in the Banyang area cultivate vegetables and food crops like cassava, 
maize, cocoyam, yam etc. Cash crops like cocoa, coffee, kola nuts are also cultivated in a large scale. 
The climate of this region favours the production of these crops.  More also, the cultural richness and 
diversity of the Kenyang people are attained through their socio-cultural and traditional 
consciousness. Their cultural richness is also attained through their interest to develop and sustain 
their tribal heritage and ancestry through time honoured festivals like the Egbe and the Obassinjum 
societal groups. Culturally, the Kenyang people are related, a lot of their traditional and cultural 
dances are borrowed from the Efiks. Economically, the Kenyang people grew up as black smiths, 
hunters, craftsmen and famers. The forest provides them with firewood and charcoal. The forest has 
a lot of game to keep men occupied in order to get meat for family meals as well as for bride prizes 
and death ceremonies. As craft men, the people used the wood from the forest in making masks, tools 
and doorposts.  The great form of products of the people is the growing of cocoa and coffee.

Many buyers come from Nigeria and even around the country to buy cocoa. The women on their 
part, occupy themselves in the selling of cracked mangoes in the mango season, kolanut, njasanga 
etc. They usually move from one neighbouring market to another in specific market days to sell 
these things. Looking at Kenyang occupational wise, it will be of great importance to mention the 
traditional medical services. Most of the villagers are surrounded by a huge forest, this forest is rich 
in medicinal plants and the people have been very skilful in traditional healing. With the coming of 
modern medicine, people still travel from other regions to come for healing there. It is also important 
to note that there is a lot of timber that is being exported from the Kenyang area to other parts of the 
country, where it is being transformed into finished products. These products are being sold for 
money, and this helps to bring more revenue to the country. The Kenyang culture is rich in music and 
dances. Celebrations like marriages; births and deaths bring many people together. In such 

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occasions they dialogue with one another through their oral communication techniques, and that 
help in keeping the unity of the language. The markets also bring thousands together each week

Linguistic classification
According to Greenberg's classification, Kenyang falls within the Bantu language group, while it is 
excluded from the narrow Bantu of Gutheries classifications. Ethnologue (Grimes 1992:193) 
classifies the Kenyang languages as.

The language under study is characterised by a great number of changes that have taken place over 
time as far as communication is concerned. Before the advent of information and communication 
technology, the language used many traditional tools to communicate. For examples, Storytelling 
was used to tell stories, both fiction and non-fiction, before there were books. It was a way for 
families and communities to pass on information about their past. Drums were one way to send 
signals to neighbouring tribes and groups. Oral traditional techniques of communication  thus 
represents a form of communication employing vocal, verbal, musical and visual folk art forms, 
transmitted to a society or group of societies from one generation to another. They are 
indigenous modes and have served the Manyu society as tools/medium of communication for ages. 
Traditional means of communication within this society exploit and develop local means, materials 
and methods of communication, such as stories, songs and dances, games, and fables.   We also 
consider  for instance myths; story-telling; songs; proverbs; religious rituals; artistic, musical, 
dance and theatrical elements as depicted on pottery, textiles and wood as traditional forms of 
communication.

This work is divided into four sections. Section one is focused on the introduction, which consist of 
the background to the language and the speakers, statement of the problem, research question, data 
collection methods and the theoretical framework. Section two, presents the oral traditional 
techniques that the Kenyang speakers use in communicating, the next section dwells on the digital 
era and its characteristics.  The section that follows, answers the question as to whether the Kenyang 
traditional techniques of communication can actually survive the digitalised era. Finally the last 
section presents some recommendation and the conclusion.

Niger – Congo
 
 
Benue-Congo
 
 
Bantoid 
 
 
Southern 
 
 
Broad Bantu 
 
 
Manfe 

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Statement of the Problem
Traditional tools that have served the Kenyang speakers from time immemorial have for long been 
used as a medium of communication among them. Most of these tools are now being relegated to the 
background and there is need to reemphasise their important especially in a time where Information 
and communication technology is fast replacing traditional modes of communication in many 
communities. It is not everyone in the Kenyang speaking community that can boost of a phone, 
television set, talk less of how to use them. There is therefore an urgent need for the speakers to stay 
focus on the traditional methods of communication in order to maintain their cultural integrity and 
promote their language. There is still need to use the town crier, the /Εnok/, /εfep /, drum, traditional 
or cultural dances, and proverbs to communicate among themselves, and promote their identity as 
Kenyang speakers. Of course one can only use the phones, emails, g-mails, when we have 
connection and the mega to do so. But what if we do not even have the phone at all, what if the 
network is bad. These questions can only be answered by oral traditional techniques of 
communication that do not needs money or mega bites to transmit information.
 
Objectives of the Study
The following are the objectives of this study: 

1. To find out the place of oral traditional communication techniques in the Kenyang language, 
in an era of digitalisation.

2. To evaluate the Kenyang oral traditional techniques of communication.
3. To determine if traditional tools can stand the challenges of the era.
4. To propose suggestion on what to do in order to boost the Kenyang traditional techniques of 

communication to stand the challenges of time.

Research Questions
This work is guided by one general research question: 
1. what is the place of the Kenyang traditional communication techniques in the era of 
digitalisation.
These general research questions can be broken down into the following for better understanding

1. What are the traditional tools used for communication in the Kenyang community?
2. How can these tools survive the digitalise age and maintain their originality.
3.  How can traditional tools for communication be used alongside the modern techniques of 

communications in the Kenyang speaking community?
4. Are there any hindrances to effective utilization of traditional tools of communication?
5. What are some of the suggestions to improve on the effective use of these techniques?

Significance of the Study
This work is significance in the following ways:
First, this paper will help to bring out the importance of oral traditional communication techniques 
as used by the Kenyang speakers to foster the growth of their language and to strengthen their 
cultural integrity. It will equally act as a means of passing over their culture to future generation.  
Second, the study will enable the rural dwellers to compare and contrast between modern and 
traditional communication which is better and more effective in brining development to their areas.   
Finally, it will serve as reference materials for further studies by the researchers and scholar. In case 
there are areas or issues that are perceived not to be treated in detail or comprehensively, the study 
will help to elicit curiosity, capable of inciting research in this domain.

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Methodology and theoretical frame work
 The data for this research was collected from some 40 Kenyang speakers whose ages range from 35 
to 60.  The respondents have grown up in the village and master the communication system and 
techniques very well. They were randomly chosen. The instruments used for this research are: 
interview, discussions, and observations. This work makes use of content analysis approach. 
Concerning administration of instruments, it was done through the direct contact approach. This is 
because the researcher seeks to reduce the problem of biased responses and unwillingness on the part 
of the respondents.

Theoretical frame-work
The theory that guided this work is the verbal communication theory:  This Theory allows us to 
organize and understand communication experiences, select communication behaviour to study, 
broaden our understanding of human communication, predict and control communication 
situations, challenge current social and cultural relationships, and offer new ways of thinking and 
living. Katz and Kahn (1966) suggest that since verbal communication means using human language 
to represent the world and pass on information, it therefore exhibits all features of an open 
communication system. Verbal communication is, however characterised by some unique features 
which radically set it apart from other types of communication. Its principal function is to transfer 
information which besides being factual may also be of specific human character, and may also 
convey emotions, attitudes, beliefs, desires, feelings etc. Human language makes predominant use 
of symbolic signs, which bear relationships to their referents, although iconic and indexical signs 
and signals are employed as well. The model of verbal communication includes the following. 
Information, communication means, communication network, and communication activities. 
 
Discussion of Findings
This section, presents the results of the interview, discussions and observation using the qualitative 
data analysis approach.  This type of data is collected through methods of observations, one-to-one 
interviews, conducting focus groups, and similar methods. We choose this method because it brings 
out the behaviour of the participants of study being observed, and the conclusion is drawn based on 
their answers and their behaviour. Secondly this method is naturalistic because it studies a group in 
its natural setting. 

From the data collected, we discover a number of important things concerning the communication 
techniques used by the Kenyang speakers. First, at the level of identification of the tools or 
techniques, the respondents mentioned the following as some of tools they used in communicating 
among themselves. They are: the /enok. /, ngkaneka/, /anoh/, traditional dances, proverbs, 
storytelling, /efeb/, town crying, sounds etc. According to them, each of these tools has a particular 
way and carries messages that are understood by the speakers of the language. We are going to 
discuss the function of each of these instruments as used by the Kenyang community. First we have 
the town crier, who is used to make public announcements in the streets.  He is often called the 
newsman, a traditional emissary, mutually dependent man, news reporter and messenger. The town 
crier in the Kenyang community is call /ndεp nkanεƞka/, he performs various functions as far as 
communication is concerned, this is described below.

We have the Idiophone, which is an instrument whose own substance vibrate to produce sounds 
without the use of wires like a guitar or buttons like the piano. There are a number of them in the 
language under study which will be discussed below. The town crier in this community uses this 
instruments to communicate to the population when need be.  Note should be taken that the type of 
message will depend on the material used in fabricating this instrument and also on the sound it 

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produces.  They could be shaken, scratched, stroked, pulled or even pressed with the leg. In this 
group, we have the gong, /nkaneka/ woodblock, /enok/ wooden drum, /nkah/ and the chief's bell 
/nkaneka mfo'/.  There is a difference between nkanεka mfo'/ the ̋ chief's bellʺ and /nkanεka/ which 
is a normal ̋ bellʺ. nkanεka mfo'/  is always at the chief's palace and it is use to call the population to 
order or to  call attention while /nkanεka/ is use in meeting groups to either stop people from making 
noise or use as a musical instrument within the meeting groups. 

The next instrument is called Membranophone, a musical instrument which sounds primarily by 
way of a vibrating stressed membrane. They include all forms of skin or leather drums, tambourines 
and some gongs. These drums are struck with well-carved sticks. Among the variety of dances that 
are from the Manyu community, drums of various sizes are used. We want to particularly lay 
emphasis on /mͻ nkah mɨk/, which is use to communicate with the chief or the Sessekou of the Land 
during some festivals. The gong on its part is use to announce the dead of someone and it also act as a 
reminder of time to Christians. We equally have the symbolograpy which means the act of using 
symbols or representations to convey messages. The Kenyang speakers use peace front or the 
folding of a front of a green palm tree tried to mean different things depending on the shape in which 
it is tired. More also, we have signals which are the physical embodiment of a message. Signals are 
still used today within the Manyu community. These can be seen in the case where the main radio 
station like ̋ The voice of Manyuʺ radio, uses a drum as its jingle before any communication activity.  
Some of the signals include gunshot, drums, /enok/, just to name a few.  

Next in line, we have signs which are the foundation of communication. A sign designates 
something other than itself and the meaning is link between an object or idea and sign. (Little 2007).  
The meaning of a sign in the Manyu culture may depend on the form, setting, colour, or location. It is 
important to note that signs are different from symbols. According to Ross 1963:164-165 Symbols 
require an interpreter who knows something of the system by virtues of the symbol which has 
meaning. Generally, natural signs require an interpreter who knows a theory, or the general law in 
terms of which the sign is an index of the existence of something else. For example nuts, the young 
unopened bub of palm front, white pigeon, feather, cowries etc. Colour is another powerful 
communication device used by the Manyu people and can be used to signal action, influence, mood 
and even influence physiological reactions.  Among the prominent colours used to convey different 
meaning among the Kenyang speakers are red, white, black and brown. Each of these colour has a 
particular meaning attributed to it. For example the colour black to the Manyu man means dead, 
problems, morning, evil, etc meanwhile, white means or symbolises sinless, purity, virginity etc.  
Music is another technique that the Manyu people use to communicate. It expresses the culture and 
history of the Manyu people. They sing satirical songs to either criticise wrong doings of individuals 
or to praise them for their contribution to development within the community. At times their names, 
where they live or their jobs are mention.  At times stories concerning events that are being planned 
for the society may feature as a way of alerting the population about the importance of the events. 
Cultural groups like the Egbe, Mowa, Mpokofu still use these technique to reinforce their cultural 
heritage and strengthen their language tides. Again we have the extra-mundane moods of 
communication which Wilson 1990-282 says it is the type taking place between the living and the 
extra-terrestrial. This is usually done through rituals, incantation liberation and Libation. 

The functions of the traditional techniques of communication in the Manyu community are many. 
First, it is the primary way of conveying their culture, feelings and attitude. It gives them a sense of 
belonging and help to maintain their identity and heritage.  Second, it acts as a unifying force during 
cultural festivals, entertainments by chorale and deferent dance groups like the Egbe, Obasinjump, 
Mowa etc. Next it is used for inter and intra cultural communication purposes leading to the unity of 

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the people. More also, it educates the youths into studying and knowing their culture. It equally helps 
in transmitting knowledge from one generation to another there by maintaining the continuity of the 
culture of the Manyu people. It gives expressions to cultural and other activities of deferent parts of 
the community. For example, through cultural manifestations, a great number of cultural aspects are 
exposed to the world. By so doing, cross-cultural fertilization takes place and the society as a whole 
becomes better off.

The Digital Era and its Communication Techniques
Digitalisation is the process of converting information into a digital format. The result is the 
representation of an object, image, sound, document or signal obtained by generating a series of 
numbers that describe discrete set points. The Digital Era is characterised by technology which 
increases the speed and breadth of knowledge turnover within the economy and society.  The Era can 
be seen as the development of an evolutionary system in which knowledge turnover is not only very 
high, but also increasingly out of the control of humans, making it a time in which our lives become 
more difficult to manage.  In general, communication is a way for people to connect over 
information, news, feelings, and so forth. But the way in which people connect has evolved; leading 
to new communication opportunities and challenges with and within the Internet, software agents 
will exchange knowledge without human intervention. Equally, our understanding of the knowledge 
embedded within the human genome about how we relate to the world, generated in association with 
technology and freely available on the internet, raises questions about our assumptions of control. 
Can we control such changes and their diffusion? The social and economic implications of the 
Digital Era are huge and will increase as technological functionality becomes more knowledge-
based, our everyday lives and understanding of ourselves become more linked to it, and it takes on a 
'life' of its own. Understanding the Digital Era in terms of evolution will help ensure we build 
sustainable socio-economic relationships both with technology and with the advanced knowledge 
that technology helps us create.

According to Jose Luis Orihuela on Medium.com, there have been a number of paradigm shifts in 
communication due to the Digital Age. First, messages for general audiences are no longer 
acceptable, and the shift has been made to user-centric communication. Users have control over the 
topics they want to hear about, the way they receive their messages, and the platforms in which they 
view them. And information is no longer communicated one way as people have the ability to share 
messages interactively without any mediation or editing. Next, text and basic images are no longer 
relevant as digitization, data visualization, and multimedia options are available for all forms of 
communication. Your communication must reflect that by incorporating dynamism to connect with 
your audiences. The sharing of information, news, or other reporting data is now in real time and 
global as opposed to periodic and regionalized. When we communicate, particularly business 
information, we must be able to tell the story behind the message to increase knowledge.

Jose Luis Orihuela on Medium.com also says that, the benefits of digital communication are many. 
First, Communication using digital techniques is instant. As soon as the sender hits the Submit, 
Enter, or Send key, the message is available to the audience in a matter of microseconds. Secondly, it 
is extensive. One email message or text message can be easily routed to thousands of employees at 
the same time.  Additionally, digital communications can be extensive in their contents as well; while 
sending a printed forty-page report by mail has associated costs, it's virtually cost-free to send the 
same content digitally. Third, Digital communication is convenient, which serves to foster better 
communication. For example, computer programmers can relay information to their development 
team with a few mouse clicks, which means that they are more likely to do so. Additionally, the fact 

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that digital communication is instant and extensive also contributes to the convenience of using these 
techniques for anyone relaying information. Finally, the advent of digital communication in the 
business environment has contributed to positive social change and served to change the 
environment itself. Always being connected may not seem to be a benefit at first glance, but if that 
factors into more flexible work hours, employees may be happier at work. A team-oriented 
workforce, which tends to foster sharing and support among team members, has been shown to 
contribute to greater employee productivity and success.  With all the advantages of the digital era 
discussed above, is it possible for the traditional oral communication techniques of the language 
under study to survive?  This question will be answered in the next section.

Can the Kenyang Oral Traditional Techniques of Communication Survive in an Era of 
Digitalisation?

To answer this question, we will first begin by looking at some of the functions of 
communication, next, we evaluate if the Kenyang traditional techniques of communication still 
fulfil this functions in this present era, and finally some possible recommendations to upgrade 
these techniques. According to Thayer (1968), the primary function of communication is about  
communicating your ideas, thoughts, information, opinions and views, and sharing messages with 
others in the most effective manner. It is used as a powerful tool in both personal and professional 
spaces to communicate your vital needs, goals, desires and boost interpersonal relationships. For 
him, excellent communication skills have become a desired quality in the current scenario because it 
is believed that employees with this soft skill will have a good edge above others.  He enumerated 
eight functions of communication, which we will discussed some of them below. First, 
communication, plays an informative function, that is, it is used as a medium of expression in social 
organizations. Human activities are dependent on being communicative and using proper language 
and speech to communicate feelings and ideas with other people. Informative communication also 
helps to promote the products of an organization in the consumer market, inform the public about 
new products and act as an official statement from the company. The Kenyang community of course 
uses this type of communication during meetings and community labour to inform others about the 
current happenings through the town crier.  Secondly communication also plays an instructive 
function that is; human activities are dependent to a great extent on interactions and communication. 

Instructive communication is about providing essential instructions so that people can make 
informed choices. This type of communication is mostly practice where there is respect of hierarchy. 
Here again, the Kenyang speakers respects hierarchy as the /mfo'/, or the/ Sessekou/ gives 
instructions to his subordinates on what to do during festivals or other gatherings. Another function 
of communication is persuasive communication. In normal life, people take the help of persuasive 
communication to change the attitude of others and sway them towards their way of thinking. A 
mother can persuade her children with a toy and sweet messages whereas children can sway their 
parents and group of friends to their way of thinking with their sweet talk, attitude, communication 
and good behaviour. They share vital information, views, new ideas and techniques that persuade 
other people in proving a point, accepting their claim and work accordingly. 

The communicative goal of any community is to bring its people together and build interpersonal 
relationships so that everyone can work harmoniously in and within the community.  This is done by 
the Kenyang speakers during festivals, village meetings, and come together where the people 
interact with one another. There is also the Motivation communication system which uses a person's 
desire to communicate, to motivate them in coming out of their shell.  A motivated person plays an 

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active role in a company or within the society and this is why organizations or councils hold 
meetings. Village-group meetings within the Kenyang-speaking community organised meetings to 
tell the people what is required from them, how well they are performing their duties and instruct 
them in the ways to improve their performance. Again, we have the aesthetic communication, 
which helps in fulfilling social needs as it becomes easy to display emotional expression, frustration 
and satisfaction. The Aesthetic function of communication takes the help of language and art form 
to give a realistic presentation of the subject matter and explain the conceptual meaning. Verbal 
expressions and art forms are used to explore innovation, development and creativity. This function 
of communication is used to boost social routines and cultural development. In daily life, it helps an 
individual to interpret and understand the information that is conveyed between people, in the 
media and cultural life. Finally one of the functions of communication is to help in social 
interactions. Starting a conversation with other people, greeting them cordially, establishing warm 
relationships and even ending a relationship with grace is part of social interaction in daily life

Looking at the functions of communication discussed above, our next task is to evaluate if the 
Kenyang techniques of communication still fulfil these functions.  The main aim of communication 
is to shear ideas; feelings; messages, emotions; etc; and the Kenyang communication techniques 
play this function. The reason why during meetings or festivals, communication is still done 
through the various techniques discussed above. We have for example the /nkaneka/, /enok/,/ mͻ 
nka mik/, /efeb/,  which still have their place in the communication system of the Manyu people. 
According to Onigu and Ogionwo (1981), culture is defined as a complex whole of man's 
acquisition of knowledge, morals, beliefs, and arts, customs which are shared and transmitted, from 
one generation to another. In this definition, culture includes those things which man has invented 
and produced and which we can see, feel, hear as well as those aspects of man's behaviour which we 
cannot see: namely: knowledge, beliefs, or moral, language, philosophy, attitudes, etc. 
Communication which is an act, a process of interaction, is carried out primarily through the use of 
signs or symbols and such symbols must arouse the same meaning in the other person as it does in 
oneself. 

Communication, being an aspect of non-material culture, the Kenyang language and its traditional 
communication modes have therefore a sort of cultural relativity.  Communication is initiated when 
the sender utters symbolic sounds which refer to his experiences, rooted environments. If the 
receiver or audience has had a similar experience and has been conditioned to associate the given 
sounds with those experiences and attach a common meaning, we then say communication has 
taken place. Some of these modes include message relay-running, festivals, drama, music/songs, 
dance styles and steps, fire wood, smoke ashes colour of clothing, tales and proverbs, gun shorts, 
animals birds and insects hair looks tribal marks, talking drum,  just to name a few.  All the above 
techniques are the creation of human interactions and are valued by the Kenyang language 
community group communication, mostly based on age, kinship, inheritance, marital status. These 

Communication techniques do not need sophisticated structures, and technology which the people 
do not have access to. It does not discriminate between the rich and the poor. This is to say you don't 
need any mega bites to have access to information. You don't need an iPhone, computer or internet 
connection to get access to information.  It does not underestimate or disrespect rural values, that is, 
they make use of technology as a means to forester the use of their traditional techniques or tools of 
communication. More over talking to people through face-to-face,  either  through the town crier or 
other oral traditional means of communication  mentioned above, has  proven to be very effective 
not only to the Kenyang community  but to the  entire Africa. Nwabueze, 2007, Chude 2007, 
believes that a  communicator, who speaks to people in a town hall, market square, meeting group, 
age group, has the ability to convince, sensitise, or even mobiles the population more than one who 
uses a video conference or the phone. Obiora (2011) says the use of songs, dances, drama, local 

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language to teach, people new farming techniques, encourage them to be self –reliant, acquire good 
education and health habits, stop harmful traditional practices and participate in community work,  
also constitute effective traditional communication strategies among the manyu people. For him, the 
audience sees the communicator and asked questions where necessary. Feedback and necessary 
clarifications are made for effective communication.

What attention and focus should be given to the Kenyang traditional techniques of   
communication to prepare them for the digital Era?
 Such attention would require the Kenyang community as a whole to embark on language 
engineering processes in order to render valuable their oral traditional means of communication.           
The fact that the present Constitution of the Cameroon government underscores the promotion of 
indigenous languages is already an added advantage to the speakers of the language to promote 
theirs.  Also important is the fact that they should ensure the standardization of their language, by so 
doing the communication system will stand the challenge of the time.  Of course in a country like 
Cameroon with over 247 national languages with the support of the government to encourage such 
language engineering process is not without difficulties.  The fact is that their very existence is 
threatened today especially in towns and cities where more and more young people tend to use the 
official languages from childhood. According to Bitja'a  (2001), findings from an earlier study 
carried out on language use in the city of Yaoundé reveal that 32% of young people between 10 and 
17 years old in Yaoundé do not speak any Cameroonian indigenous language. French is their only 
language of communication. The author affirms that this population is bound to increase in an 
exponential manner by the next generation, given that such Cameroonians will not be in a position to 
transmit the indigenous languages to their children. The Kenyang language is not left out of this 
drama. But if the   language committee takes it as a duty to re-enforce their communication tools for 
example by bringing up educational movies , cottons , games and other entertainment programs for 
the children and youths  in the language , we think this language  will stand the challenges of the era.

Conclusion 
We have focused our discussion on the place of traditional techniques of communication within the 
Kenyang language community. We started by presenting the language and the speakers. Next, we 
discussed the traditional techniques of communication that are being used within the community in 
question. After that, we presented the digital era and its characteristic, and answered the question as 
to whether the communication techniques used by the Keyang speakers are able to s survive the 
digital era. We finally presented some suggestions to the Kenyang community. It was revealed that 
the Kenyang communicative techniques are still effective because they are still being used by the 
speakers of the language and they still respect and fulfil the function of communication within that 
community, which is interacting, exchanging ideas, fillings, emotions, through the various 
techniques describe in section two of this work. Also important is the fact that the work demonstrates 
that communication is culture and nothing can replace the Kenyang traditional ways, because it does 
not need money, it is at the disposal of everybody be it young, old, rich or poor. It is the best method 
to educate sensitize, mobilise, teach, encourage, interact and safe guard the identity of the Manyu 
people.  In effect, the Manyu people will always use their oral traditional ways to maintain effective 
communication among themselves no matter the Era. We finally gave some suggestions on how to 
upgrade the communication system of the Kenyang language to incorporate the children and the 
youths that may be carried away with the new communication technology.      

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