The manjong (ghong) has evolved in kedjom ketinguh with the different groups arranged in order of age from inception as follows;
- Ngiehleh was the first upon arrival in the settlement,
- Ngiehmukong Fon Aseh Nih as Tiih Ghong was the second upon arrival in the settlement,
- Mounghai was the third upon arrival in the settlement,
- Vinemouh was the fourth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Kwebeleh; Fon Phonchu as Tiih Ghong was the fifth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Chenjem was the sixth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Ngiehngouh was the seventh upon arrival in the settlement,
- Nkweuh was the eighth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Njiim; Fon Aseh Ncheuh as Tiih Ghong was the ninth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Ngiehanchiih was the tenth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Vetsouh was the eleventh upon arrival in the settlement,
- Fengouh(fekwen) was the twelfth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Vinemouh 2 with Fon Nshiteh as Tiih Ghong is the thirteenth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Ngiehmukong 2 is the fourteenth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Chenjem 2 is the fifteenth upon arrival in the settlement,
- Kwebeh 2 with Fon Veyouoh Nelson as Tiih Ghong is the sixteenth upon arrival in the settlement.
Mystery or Coincidence?
Vinemouh 1 fought the Balikumbat and Bambili wars, so ponderers were proposing that the name shouldn’t be used again.
The family members of Ngiehleh almost went extinct, as a result, the name has never been used again, alluding it to ill luck.
Njiim was initially called Malawah, however, due to persistent fighting whenever they gathered, it was therefore renamed, Njiim.
Vinemouh 2 was initially referred to as Fendzondzoh but because of too much mockery, it was changed to Vinemouh 2.
The first law of manjong is that you cannot join the same manjong group in which your father is a member.
Back in the day, a manjong group was formed as follows; when a male child is born, the father gives a stick in the palace. This stick is considered as his representative in his physical absence, usually after death. After a given interval, all the sticks received within this period are counted, the male children of this period then form a manjong group and a name is given to identify them. This therefore meant that people of any manjong group must be of the same age group. This also made management easy.
Oral sources of this write up came from;
- Pa Vefighi popularly known as Ba Kentem a member of Nkweuh;
- Pa Toh Ngoin a member of Ngiehanchiih;
- Pa Nsangteum alias Pa Nankeuh a member of Ngiehanchiih;
- Pa Bongagih a member of Vetsouh;
- Pa Titewain Nkenyam a member of Vetsouh;
- Pa Vegangeh Mokenyuh alias Pa Mveuh a member of Fengouh;
- Pa Tsickeuh Ntsih alias Chiamegweuh a member of Fengouh and
- Pa Ngong Ntsih Jairus a member of Vinemouh 2.
NB: Other aspects of manjong (ghong) will be added with time.
Compiled by Akumbu Eric Mabong.
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