Dume district

The district Dume was an administrative unit in Cameroon during the German colonial rule.

District area

The district area, which was in the range of the present province Est, bordered on the west by the district office Yaoundé, in the east to the French border. In the north of the Sanaga ( Lom ) formed the frontier against the Residentur Adamawa and from 1913 Ngaundere. The Nyong marked in the western district area, the southern border against the district Lomié. Bordered in the south of the district and to the 1911 newly created district Molundu.

Population

Colonized the area was predominantly of Bantu-speaking societies, especially Omvang, Makaa and Kaka as well as the ubangisprachigen Gbaya. The total population was, according to a census from 1909 to 97 566 inhabitants. Political centers of the indigenous population were Gamane / Bertua ( Gbaya ) Baturi, Mokbe, and Beri Bimba ( Kaka ).

History

The development of the region by the colonial power began in 1897 with the expedition of Lieutenant Ernst von Carnap - Quernheimb in the Sanga - Ngoko area a. 1899 began Councillor Dr. Plehn in the southeastern tip of the colony with the Administrative structure of the Sanga - Ngoko district. Ludwig Freiherr von Stein to Lausnitz undertook in the years 1901-1903 extended expeditions into the Makaa, Gbaya and Kaka territory and launched in August 1902 by the disempowerment of Bertua - Chiefs and his replacement by his loyal son of the integration of the area between Sanaga and Doume River into the German power structures.

1906/ 07, there was a major armed conflict between the German colonial force and the Omvang and Makaa in the region between the Sanaga, Dja and Doume, in the wake of the transition zone between forest and grassland savannah between the 4th and 6th Latitude from the Sanga - Ngoko management was (district Lomie ) detached and independent. On Doume River a fort, which was named Dume and became the seat of the district administration and location of the 9th Company of the protection force was formed. Due to its location at the end point of the navigability of the river, the place soon developed into the crossroads of important trade routes.

First administrative head of the district was Captain Peter Scheunemann, who soon by Captain Adolf Schipper (* November 12, 1875, † November 4, 1915 in Cameroon) was replaced. The protection force forced the further pacification and development of the district area. After the killing of a German merchant came from May to July 1910 once again to a comprehensive military conflict. Cause of the escalation of violence were primarily the encroachments German and African traders on the indigenous societies in the course of the expansion of the rubber trade, but also the attraction of population control works and road construction, dam construction and river cleaning on the Doume. Within a few weeks the unrest under the direction of Captain Hans Dominik were suppressed. 1913, the former military district was converted into a civilian district office. 1916, the district fell under the administration of the French, who moved the county seat after Bertoua.