Just as the bald eagle stands for the United States of America, so the double-headed serpent stands for the Bamum kingdom. In the 1800s, King Mbuembue (hm-BOM-bo) made the double-headed snake Bamum royalty's most important symbol. Its two heads remind the Bamum people of this king's heroic army, which once fought enemies on two fronts at the same time-and won. Inside the snake is a double-gorged bell. This bell's twin chimes were a call to arms-when they rang out, Bamum warriors rushed to where the fighting was at its thickest, and most deadly.

 The spider symbolizes wisdom. According to Bamum legend, spiders carry messages between humans and the Creator.