BUDGET 12

Melalia Shikiy

Melalia Shikiy is a Roman Catholic in her thirties who has two sons but no husband. She formerly lived with her mother at Meluf Village and still has farms and a storehouse there. But several years ago she moved to Kimbaw and was granted the use of a hut in Mbonyaar, where she was distantly related to Francis Lole. Her mother and Lole's belonged to different lineages of the Ndzendzef clan.

Melalia's two sons are at school, but one pays for his own fees and clothes and occasionally assists his mother with gifts of money; a relative pays the fees for the other son. Melalia farms 1.3 acres, some of the plots being on Mbonyaar land, some on her father's land at Meluf, while the rest are at Shisong Village and have been "begged" from strangers. She has about 50 plantain trees at Mbonyaar, but relies mainly on the retailing of processed foods for money with which to buy salt, oil, utensils, tools and clothes. She belongs to the Mbonyaar djanggi, contributing 6d. a week when she can afford it, otherwise her son pays for her. In February 1948 she 'cooked' djanggi for 40s.

Melalia is a keen farm worker although she often suffers from chest trouble. During my absence from Kimbaw, her budget was recorded for me by Lole's son and it is, I think, incomplete in so far as not all gifts in kind have been entered. Also her earnings for the year are not typical because the market was closed to women by the Føn for 10 market-days. Melalia during the year made two long journeys, one to Fumban in the French Cameroons, and one to Bamenda Station.

NOTES

(a) In July, 1947, the Føn closed the market to women and Melalia was left with 6d. worth of beans and 2s. 6d. worth of flour, which she had intended to use for trade. She consumed them, but this increased the amount she would normally spend on food for the household. The market was opened again to women on the 6th October, 1947.
(b) Melalia had to go to Bamenda Station in mid-February and she spent 6d. on food, although she was given hospitality and gifts by friends.
(c) The amount spent on oil is small by Nsaw standards, but Melalia received some from kin; and her son also occasionally provided some.
(d) On Christmas Day, 1947, Melalia bought 1s. 3d. worth of meat for herself, her sons and visitors.
(e) Note that supplies of salt were also augmented by gifts from kin and friends.
(f) Melalia bought maize (2s.) to brew beer for relatives who were repairing her storehouse at Meluf. Such expenditure would normally be met by the male head of the household.
(g) When Melalia 'cooked' djanggi in February, 1948, she bought maize (2s.) and brewed 7calabashes of beer (value 3s. 6d.) for members.
(h) When visiting Fumban Melalia bought palm kernels (6s. 2d.), which she sold for 3s. ll 1/2d. and so lost on the deal.
(i) Potatoes (5d.) and eggs (1 1/2d.) were bought as a gift for a friend. Melalia received sums of cash from friends when in Bamenda Station.
(j) Melalia's brother and Lole occasionally gave her 3d. or 6d., and the total recorded in herbudget was 1s. 3d. But I have added another 6s. to this as a contribution on her behalf by her son to djanggi. She herself did not know the exact amount but said he helped her when she had earned nothing from trade.
(k) Melalia used to buy 1s. to 2s. worth of maize flour early on market day, return to the house, prepare porridge with it, and sell this in the market later. Her profits ranged from 4d. to 1s. 6d. and were, on an average, 8d. a week. Her total expenditure on flour for the year was 29s. 4 1/2d., and her total takings 44s. She used greens from her own farm for the relish.

(l) When flour was dear, she bought dwarf beans, boiled and ground them, and rolled them into balls, flavoured with condiments. Her total outlay on these was 4s. 4d. and her takings 6s. 11 1/2d.
(m) Her expenditure on cassava was 3s. 8d. She made gruel and sold it for 6s. 5 1/2d.
(n) When she visited Fumban she was given a dress and headtie by friend.
(o) In September, 1947, she obtained 6 1/2 vegati of maize; in January, she harvested 1 1/2 vegati of finger millet.

NOTES ON BUDGETS 13 TO 16

Three of the women, Yuliy, Vindjan and Yadiy (nos. 13, 14 and 15), are co-wives ofKengeran (no. 11) and married to Fai-o-Djem. As I have mentioned previously, I was unable to obtain details of the expenditure and income of the Fai, but he gave the three women small quantities of salt and oil regularly, as well as providing more costly tools and utensils. They, on their side, did not trade frequently in the market, but occasionally disposed of plantains, sugar cane,
and so on, when they required small articles or wished to augment their supply of oil. Their households were smaller than that of Kengeran and their basic needs therefore more limited. I recorded their diminutive sales and purchases over 5 months, and have included them here because they are very typical of the pattern of petty trade engaged in by the great majority of Nsaw women. But I have not considered it worthwhile to estimate their budgets for a full year, or to work out gross outlay and income in kind. I refer the reader to my discussion of
standards of living in Ch. VII for some estimate of the minimum expenditure incurred by their husband on their behalf.

The fourth woman, Sui (no. 16), was an elderly widow, nominally in the care of her late husband's brother. But she, on her side, never farmed or cooked for him and he, for his part, did not provide her with salt or oil. She sold plantains and engaged in the retail of small quantities of groundnuts, kolas, and so forth, and had the reputation of being a keen trader. Unfortunately, during the 5 months when I was in Kimbaw in my second tour, she injured her foot on the 9th December and was laid up until the middle of January. She did not trade then and her earnings were therefore not typical of a normal year. During my first tour I kept some records of her sales, and estimated that she made about 10s. to 12s. a year.