The cover story of the September issue of Post Newsmagazine, which is now available online, focuses on the trials and tribulations of Cameroonian bushfallers living in Western Europe, Asia and America. The cover story is based on the personal experiences of Cameroonians living in China, Austria, England, Germany and the United States. They write about everything from the regular pangs of homsickness to the challenges of integration and racism, including immigration and employment difficulties.
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The magazine also attempts to explain the motivation behind the rush to real or imagined "greener pastures" by an entire generation of Cameroonians. As it states in its editorial, "whether we admit it or not, it is a fact that the industrialised nations in the West offer vistas of opportunities to professionals who see few career prospects in Cameroon beyond singing halleluiah for the sit-tight regime in power and partaking in the corruption dining table."
In this context, the magazine argues that:
There is, therefore, absolutely no reason to demonise bushfallers and wannabe bushfallers whose main motivation is the pursuit of happiness and the uplifting of their families from the doldrums of poverty. At the same time, there is no reason for people to glorify the West and deify bushfallers. The West is no stress free, poverty free and problem free Eldorado where one can just pluck money from trees.
For those who might not be familiar with the term bushfaller, here is an explanation by Clovis Atatah, Editor-in-Chief:
Have you ever reflected on the etymology of the word “bushfalling”? The term is derived from the figurative verb, “to fall bush”. “Bush” is the Pidgin word for farm. Not long ago, almost every Cameroonian family owned farms that ensured the constant supply of food. Whenever there was hunger, food was harvested in the farm and brought to the house. But before harvesting, seed had to be sown, which entailed back breaking labour. “Fall” in Pidgin sometimes has the connotation of “jump onto” or “rush into” something or some place. To “fall bush”, therefore, means jumping into or rushing to a farm, in this case an industrialised country. (These days, people can also be heard using the expression “fall grass” when referring to travelling to countries that are perceived as poor).
Click here to read the story from the Post Newsmagazine website.

Many of us will atest of the joy that bushfalling has brought to our families as a result of a relation who has travelled abroad.Those families considered as the have not have been uplifted from the hooks of poverty and can mingle with those previously considered as the high and mighty.The fact that many have brought smiles and sunshine to their families does not cancel the fact that others have been a total disappointment and failure to their families.All in all the issue of bushfalling depends on each and every individual,who knows where he is coming from and where he is heading to.
Posted by: JOHANNA | November 14, 2006 at 04:32 AM
i am not a camerounian bush faller
a m a southern cameroonian bushfaller
living in anglophone america for 30 yrs.
my uncle who is a scientist at MIT, LIVED IN AMERICA FOR 40 YRS, WHEN MOST FRENCH CAMEROUNESE KNEW NOTHING OUTSIDE THEIR FRANCOPHONIE COUNTRIES, AT THE TIME ,THE
AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER WAS IN DOUALA-AKWA.
AND HE IS THE PERSON WHO ,OPEN MY EYES AFTER
GRADUATING FROM OMBE COLLEGE, WITH MY CITY AND GUILDS ADVANCE CERTIFIACTE, HE TOLD ME
THAT,THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE CAMEROUNS, WAS SOLDLY CONTROL BY THE FRENCH CAMEROUN, AND THEY MADE THE DECISION OF WHAT THE CURRICULA SHOULD BE, AND HOW HIGH I CAN GO AHEAD, THAT ,THEIR SYSTEM OF EDUCATION ISNT
WORTH A STONE INTERNATIONALLY,HE TOLD ME THE BEST WAY TO GROW IN LIFE IS TO MIGRATE TO USA AND STUDY ENGINEERING. I FOLLOWED HID PATH, AND TODAY I AM A HAPPY MAN, I AM NOT A BUSH FALLER BUT A SAVIOUR OF MY FAMILY AND MY COUNTRY(SOUTHERN CAMEROONS,)
Posted by: paolo laurent | November 14, 2006 at 08:37 PM
Mr. Paolo Laurent, was this article about you? Why go out of your way to tell us the kind of bushfaller you are when no one asked you? Please try and think and discuss outside your little box
Posted by: lana | November 14, 2006 at 09:27 PM
ist to elaborate the meaning
EITHER OF IGNORANCE OR JEALOUSY TO THOSE
LEFT BACK THERE IN THE COLD, SUFFERING, UNABLE TO MIGARATE.
Posted by: PAOLO LAURENT | November 17, 2006 at 04:14 PM
Iana let the man say what kind of bushfaller he is. That is what the comment section is about. What kind of Bushfaller are you, lovely Iana?
Posted by: King of Bushfallers | November 17, 2006 at 06:25 PM
THE TITLE SHOULD BE WHAT IS BUSHFALLER?
IS IS A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE CONNOTATION?
YOU BUNCH OF IDIOTS, YOU BACK HOME HAVE
POVERTY/SLAVERY/DISEEASE, BAD LUCK CRIMINAL
GANGS OF BANDITS AS AN APPARTHEID GOVERNMENT. LOOKING OVER YOUR LIFES, YOU CAN NOT EVEN FIGHT THEM AND CHASE THEM TO THE BUSH ACROSS MUNGO, RIVER, YOU EVEN HAVE THE GUTS TO INVENT DEROGATIVE TERMS AS ------. WHEN WE WORK OUR ASS TO
KEEP YOU PEOPLE GOING, AFTER ,9M BLACK FRENCH MEN ARE SCREWING YOUR LIFES NIGHT AND DAYS, YEARS AFTER YEARS , YOU CANNOT WRITE SOMRTHING GREAT TO THANKS US FOR SAVING YOUR LIFES BACK HOME YOU CALL US WHAT?
LOOK ACROSS THE CONITINENT, NO NIGERIAN, CALL A FELLOW IN USA BUSH WHAT? INSTEAD THEY PRAISE THEM. THATS JUST ANOTHER DISEASE CARRY OVER BY FRENCH COLONIAL MENTALITY OF JEALOUSY AND DISRECTFULNESS, DUE TO INABILITY.
SHMAME ON YOU YOU WHO WE CLOSE OUTTA OUT SWEAT.
Posted by: paolo laurent | November 17, 2006 at 11:16 PM
We should know the context in which the term Bushfaller is used derogatorily.As explained in the writeup by one of our hardworking journalists back home in cameroon,the appellation Bushfaller entails going to the farm to reap fruits.If there is a farm that will offer some upliftment ,then there`s no need to die with one`s eyes open.Each country has a name for this people.They may be known as oversea Nigerian,Oversea Malian, Oversea Chinese,but Cameroonians decided to look at it in terms of harvesting crops from a farm,which is not a bad thing.
The negative feedback that has surrounded this nomenclature is not far from the attempt by the government of Cameroon and its deciples of doom to descourage young Cameroonians from moving elsewhere, where they may learn revolutionary ideas, or where they will tell of their plight to the rest of the open world.History teaches us that soldiers who learnt ,and took part in the French revolutionary activities bailed out,
or taught the Americans a lesson to free themselves.All attempts by the Cameroonian Oligarchy and its offshoots around the world to stifle the truth has failed. Diasporans cannot paint a rosy picture of their country
,whereas their compatriots are living in hell.
Those who try to taunt others as Bushfallers are just a group of spoonfed neocolonialists,some Bushfallers themselves,and who had and are still benefitting from the bureaucratic holdup their fathers are maintaining in Cameroon.
Paul kagame came home as bushfaller to free his people from Hutu genocidaires,Mrs Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia is an anionted Bushfaller, the list is inexhaustible.So what the fuss are Cameroonians making about bushfalling.
When one reads through the writeup,we have not been told that these hardworking Cameroonians have been involved in feymania.
Instead we read stories of hardship,and how they stand up to it.The lesson we have to retain today is that bushfallers should not lend credence to the whistleblowing by some conniving maggots.Without them 6 million of the 16 million people in Cameroon will be living in their graves.
Posted by: Watesih | November 19, 2006 at 04:23 AM
wateshir
except. I AM NOT CAMING HOME, SINCE THERE
IS NO HOME TO COME TO,
I WOULD COME HOME TO SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, AND LAND IN MY OWN COUNTRY, IN KUMBA AIRPORT, OR BAMENDA AIRPORT, BUT NOT TO ANOTHER COUNTRY, DOUALA(CAMEROUNS AIRPORT) THEN START TREEKING HOME, CROSSING THE RIVER MUNGO IN A CANOE. WITH MY LUGGAGE ON MY HEAD. OH COUNTRYMEN, WAKE UP.
YOU ARE NOT CITIZENS OF CAMEROUN, YOU ONLY HAVE YOUR BRAINS TO CORRECT, YOU ARE SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS, WITH THIS DEEP IN ALL
OF YOU 6.5M, THE STRENGTH TO BUILD OUR OWN COUNTRY, AIRPORTS, SEAPORT, RAILWAYS, ETC AS AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ,COMES NATURALLY. STOP CJEATING YOURSELVES, THE CONSTITUTION OF CAMEROUN, DOESNT RECOGNISE YOU 6.5M ALL ITS CITIZENS.
SOO, NO HOME COMING, ALL THESE PEOPLE YOU JUST NAMED, CAME BACK HOME BECAUSE THEIRS IS A FREE COUNTRY FOR THEM, THEY ARE TRUE CITIZENS OF THOSE COUNTRIES BUT YOU WATESHIR ARE NOT.
THATS WHY WE THEY MOST INTELLECTUALLY ADVANCE ARE FIGHTING THE INTERNATIONAL /CONSTITUTIONAL FIGHT TO MAKE SURE HOME IS FREE AND REDAY TO RECEIVE US, HOME IS ONLY OURS , AND ONLY OURS, NOT FOREIGNERS OF FRENCH -AFRICANS, OCCUPIERS. SOO. THE BUSH FALLERS NAME CALLING DOESNT APPLIES POSITIVELLY TO US.
YOU MUST ACCEPT WITH ME THAT YOU SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS, HAVE NO POWER TO RULE YOUR LAND, AND NO VOICE IN THAT CRIMINAL GOVERNMENT, THAT YOU KEEP REFERRING TO. AND THAT, WE AS AFRICANS ,WHO ARE TRUE, OWNERS OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, ARE BETTER OFF WITH OUT
THIS FOREIGN ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT OF CAMEROUN. AND IT DOESNT REPRESENT OUR WISH NOR DESIRE. SIR.
Posted by: paolo laurent | November 19, 2006 at 11:11 PM
What surprises me about some of the bushfallers is that they expected a very warm welcome from the host countries. I guess they were not aware that black people the world over are the most hated group of people just because they are black. Unfortunately economic deprivations at home have forced us to seek "greener pastures" in sometimes hostile and very unfriendly environments. I sincerely hope that the precipitous decline of our country can be reversed so that the next generation can be spared this traumatic outing.
Posted by: julius | November 22, 2006 at 06:27 PM
The discrepancies of the various rhetorics that describe the word 'Bushfaller' goes with strings attached as to whether the mission of the individuals are mearly for financial gains nor for diplomatic or business purposes.The ambitions of most who happen to travel is to harvest more than the owner of the farm and therefore living many who undertake this adventures to encounter a tantamounting cultural shock.That notwithstanding,although most foeigners(blacks in particular) suffer discrimination and exploitation at all levels the troubling reality is that most turn out to be successful in their adventures.But the strories are not thesame since we have different categories of classification of those in the diaspora.
Nevertheless,many of them have brought glory and given a facelift to their families where the families don't care the hassle or hurdles their sons and daughters undergo in foreign lands.All they know is that 'they are working in the bush' and 'they are 'bushfallers'.Little doubt why the number of young Cameroonians who are traveling for greener pastures have sky-rocketed in recent years.Last December while in Cameroon,the Douala airport was a come-and-see;jam-parked with happy families,friends and relatives escorting their loved ones who were to join the number of bushfallers already in the wilderness in Europe,Asia and the Americas.
Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong
Posted by: Fritzane Kiki | May 01, 2007 at 12:46 PM
The discrepancies of the various rhetorics that describe the word 'Bushfaller' goes with strings attached as to whether the mission of the individuals are mearly for financial gains nor for diplomatic or business purposes.The ambitions of most who happen to travel is to harvest more than the owner of the farm and therefore living many who undertake this adventures to encounter a tantamounting cultural shock.That notwithstanding,although most foeigners(blacks in particular) suffer discrimination and exploitation at all levels the troubling reality is that most turn out to be successful in their adventures.But the strories are not thesame since we have different categories of classification of those in the diaspora.
Nevertheless,many of them have brought glory and given a facelift to their families where the families don't care the hassle or hurdles their sons and daughters undergo in foreign lands.All they know is that 'they are working in the bush' and 'they are 'bushfallers'.Little doubt why the number of young Cameroonians who are traveling for greener pastures have sky-rocketed in recent years.Last December while in Cameroon,the Douala airport was a come-and-see;jam-parked with happy families,friends and relatives escorting their loved ones who were to join the number of bushfallers already in the wilderness in Europe,Asia and the Americas.
Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong
Posted by: Fritzane Kiki | May 01, 2007 at 12:46 PM
IS NO SURPRISE. THE PRIMITIVE CULTURE RESPONSIBLE FOR CAMEROON DEPLORABLE SITUATION THAT IS SEEMINGLY EVOLVING INTO WAR SOONER OR LATER IS STRONGLY REFLECTED IN THE "HOLY COW" UNFOCALIZED JABBERINGS.AT THIS PACE, SORRY, WE HOLD A WORST CAMEROON THAN WHAT THE OLD MEN DO TODAY.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 27, 2007 at 07:07 PM
I am sorry, i have to pull so many great minds to comments by one Paolo Laurant. He has had problems from birth and so we must sympathies with him. A french cameroonian forced his/her parents to give him the name Laurant. Sorry man your comments do note portray the person you want us to make of you. I bet you that, you have been a failure to your humble and scholar uncle who gave you that chance. I wonder if the southern Cameroonian state were to be declared independent you are ready to come home. Planning to come is not readiness to go home. Whenever you will be ready to get home you will withdraw some comments you make about those back home. Don’t be fooled by the comforts in an uncle’s home and forget that soon the holiday will be over. The great contribution of the bush faller community back home, does not immunise it from criticism. Quoting from you ‘THATS WHY WE THEY MOST INTELLECTUALLY ADVANCE ARE FIGHTING THE INTERNATIONAL /CONSTITUTIONAL FIGHT TO MAKE SURE HOME IS FREE AND REDAY TO RECEIVE US, HOME IS ONLY OURS , AND ONLY OURS, NOT FOREIGNERS OF FRENCH -AFRICANS, OCCUPIERS. SOO. THE BUSH FALLERS NAME CALLING DOESNT APPLIES POSITIVELLY TO US.
YOU MUST ACCEPT WITH ME THAT YOU SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS, HAVE NO POWER TO RULE YOUR LAND, AND NO VOICE IN THAT CRIMINAL GOVERNMENT, THAT YOU KEEP REFERRING TO. AND THAT, WE AS AFRICANS ,WHO ARE TRUE, OWNERS OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, ARE BETTER OFF WITH OUT
THIS FOREIGN ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT OF CAMEROUN. AND IT DOESNT REPRESENT OUR WISH NOR DESIRE. SIR.‘
Can you assist us by explaining what criteria was used in establishing that exclusive club to which you belong. The club of the ‘MOST INTELLECTUALLY ADVANCE’?
Can you tell me if you truly are a ‘southern Cameroonian’ if it applies or a sympathizer? When you say ‘YOU MUST ACCEPT WITH ME THAT YOU SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS, HAVE NO POWER TO RULE’. One is confused. Hope to read from you. Merry Christmas
Posted by: Great Soppo | December 24, 2008 at 05:04 AM
Paulo, your English is extremely horrible. I have told you this over and over again. Are you sure you are an Anglophone? huh? and you've been living in America for over 30 years? and your English is still so horrendous?
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | January 10, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Guys, lets talk about constructive ideas, lets forget about the notion of two cameroons, lets fall bush and send money back home, because no matter how long the night will be, the sun will finally rise...
Posted by: john | July 30, 2009 at 05:47 AM
The sun will finally rise?
The night could be long.
Light a lamp.
Humans should create their destinies, not wait for fate.
Attend the Unity Conference 2.0 of the Way Forwards Network
Posted by: Mola Mboa | July 30, 2009 at 07:27 AM
The best is no were near Africa espacially Cameroon its only God like we the Anglo will suffer as the Sudanise Do.
Greener pastures there or never her.
The sun will never rise constantly for us.It was before but now try if you wont be branded Terrorist by the socalled Est Cam Got.
Posted by: Edmund Njoh | August 11, 2009 at 01:23 PM
BUSHERS FOR US
MAKE OUR VOICE HERD PLS
IF HE COMES.TOMATO,EGGS ETC ETC
Posted by: JARULE | August 11, 2009 at 01:39 PM
come back home. ask not what africa can do you you, ask what you can do for africa. come back home.
Posted by: akere wan atsoh tella | June 20, 2014 at 06:28 AM
come back home. ask not what africa can do you you, ask what you can do for africa. come back home. join the Harembe Alliance - healliance.org, for help in coming back home.
Posted by: akere wan atsoh tella | June 20, 2014 at 06:32 AM