Traditional Attire on Screen: Negotiating Identity and Ethics in the Representation of Toghu in Cameroonian Cinema

Traditional attire occupies a central position in African visual culture, functioning as a medium through which identity, history, and cultural values are communicated. In Cameroonian cinema, Toghu attire, an embroidered velvet garment that originated from the Bamenda people of the North West Region, has become a recurring visual symbol used to signify tradition, authority, and cultural authenticity. While its increasing presence in film contributes to cultural visibility, it also raises critical ethical questions regarding symbolic accuracy, cultural context, and representational responsibility. This article examines the cinematic representation of Toghu attire and interrogates how issues of identity and ethics are negotiated through its use on screen. Using a qualitative approach grounded in visual and semiotic analysis, the study analyzes selected scenes from the Cameroonian films GREED by Ngang Romanus and BITTER LESSON by Keka Tassi Sylvester. Drawing on semiotic theory, cultural heritage theory, and postcolonial representation theory, the article argues that Toghu attire is often deployed as a generalized marker of tradition, thereby simplifying its cultural meanings. The study concludes that ethical representation of traditional attire requires cultural knowledge, contextual sensitivity, and engagement with indigenous meaning systems. By foregrounding costume as a critical site of meaning-making, this article contributes to broader debates on African cinema, cultural identity, and ethical visual storytelling.

Keywords: Toghu attire, Cameroonian cinema, cultural identity, costume symbolism, ethical representation