Mvet, the poetry of the Congo Basin

Mvet is a traditional music form indigenous to the Congo Basin Rainforest, especially the Beti, Bulu and Ekang peoples of central Africa. It has been recognised by UNESCO as an intangible heritage. The word Mvet refers simultaneously to three things: mvet the poetry recital and Mvet the musical instrument or poet.

The Mvet musical instrument resembles a harp, and it is typically played by poets and storytellers (Mvets!) when they recite long poems and stories of great deeds. It is made by tying strings, sometimes vertically and very often in the form of a suspension bridge, on one side of a bamboo pole and on the other side of the pole, calabashes are placed at equal distances outward facing to amplify the sound made by the strings. There are two-calabash Mvets, 3-calabash ones and sometimes, artisans use a combination of tins and calabashes.

Regardless of the shape of the mvet, it is always played the same way. The main melody is repetitive and does not change a lot throughout the Mvet. The drums, bottles and shakers accompanying the Mvet artist are also repetitive. The idea is to give the gathered audience a chance to participate in the story.

People love Mvet because they are very engaging and captivating stories. Typically, there are three main themes. The first one is an origins poem that focuses on cosmogony and the journey of the Beti, Fang and Bulu to their present homes in central Africa. The second one focuses on the customs, beliefs, and rituals of the community. The last one is lighthearted. There is usually a lot of jokes and it is a kind of lighthearted poem about the scandalous things that some people have done in the community. This form also takes on political messages from time to time.

The symbolism in Mvet music is often tied to nature, with animals and plants being used as metaphors to convey deeper meanings. For example, a lion might represent strength and courage, while a tree might symbolize wisdom and longevity. This is because the communities that invented this music all have their roots in the rainforest. There is no separation between man and nature and people are often described as having animal qualities (agility, patience, wisdom, bravery) because one needs all those qualities to live with all the diversity of patrons who call the forest home.

The Mvet poet is a smart person who has a long repertoire of stories. Some of these stories, which originated in one part of the forest, have spread to the rest of the Congo Basin and have been recited exactly the same way for centuries. The origins Mvets fall in this category. The poets are required to have a good memory because some recital can be up to three hours long.

Stories are packed full of figures of speech and poets are judged, not just by their ability to tell a good story, but also on how well they use language. A well placed onomatopoeia here, a simile there and an alliteration elsewhere can make the public go crazy!

In terms of how the Mvet plays out, originally it would be on any given evening in the village. The art form was invented in agrarian communities where not much happened after sunset. That is how people entertained themselves. Every village had one or two resident poets with deep knowledge about the affairs of the community. When the daily chores were done, they would gather around a fire in a square and listen to a long poem by a Mvet. The audience was always part of the recital because they would chant responses and calls at different intervals, clap or even play other instruments if asked to do so.