Kareyce Fotso Revives Ancient Tradition to Fight Violence

Kareyce Fotso, a Cameroonian artist, created an album called Gwa after researching a historical practice used by women to address violence. About four years ago, Fotso noticed an increase in violence against women in Cameroon and began researching traditional solutions with her mother. They discovered gwa, a circle of women who used song and dance as therapy, dating back over a century.

Originally practiced in secret, gwa became a public practice when women collectively denounced abuse, leading to a decrease in violence as men faced social pressure. Colonialism and urbanization diminished the practice, reducing it to a celebration of new babies. Fotso then started a private 30,000-member Facebook group called Gwa, offering a safe space for women to share experiences and access support, including a helpline with volunteer psychologists.

The album Gwa is inspired by the stories shared in this group. While Fotso also documents disappearing cultural practices and Cameroonian heroes on her YouTube channel, the effectiveness of the online gwa group in preventing immediate harm remains an ongoing concern. Fotso continues to preserve and share Cameroonian traditions through music and film.