Culture of Liberia
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| Republic of Liberia |
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History · Politics · Demographics |
The culture of Liberia reflects this nation's diverse ethnicities and long history.
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[edit] Tribes of Liberia
Many consider the Gola to be earliest tribe to inhabit Liberia, but the Gola themselves claim they met the Dei ethnic group there when they arrived. The Dei ethnic group are a vanguard group of Bassa that settled Liberia in waves. The ethnic groups of Liberia can be divided into five major groups:
- Mel (Gola, Kissi)
- Kwa (Dei, Bassa, Kru, Krahn, Grebo)
- Mande-Fu (Kpelle, Gio, Mano, Loma)
- Mande-Tan (Vai, Mende, Mandingo)
- Repatriated (Americo-Liberians, Congo, Caribbean)
[edit] Bassa
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The Bassa (Dei, Bassa, Kru, Krahn, Grebo), also referred to as the Kwa-Speakers, can trace their historical origins to Mozambique in pre-dynastic times.[dubious ] According to legend, they retreated through central Africa toward the Lake Chad region led by Mbem son of Soye, where the empires of Rifum, Kororafa and Adbassa were established in succession. Adbassa would last three centuries alongside the Bornu, Hausa, and Yoruba kingdoms. The Fall of Adbassa would split the massive Bassa group into many groups sending some to the Kasai Congo (Bassa-la-Mpasu), Togo (Bassa'r), Senegal, Sierra-Leone, Guinea (Bassa-ri), Nigeria (Bassa-Nge), Cameroon(Bassa) and Liberia (Dei, Bassa, Kru, Krahn, Grebo). The Liberian group was led by Hana-Mbak(Hanabo) son of Wenang. The Mano ethnic group of Liberia called the Bassa, Manidyu. Meaning the tribe that dries up rivers when they cross. This Bassa group would split into multiple separate ethnic groups in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire (Bete, Kru) when they arrived.
[edit] Dei
The Dei settled first, and were later joined by the Gola ethnic group before any of the other Bassa groups arrived. The chintus (a Bassa group) was later established north of the Dei.·The Gola ethnic group originated somewhere in central Africa. During the Empire of Ancient Ghana they were heavily involved in the land-surveying and judicial aspects of the empire. The other ethnic groups that fall under the Mande-Tan, Mande-Fu were also members of Ancient Ghana. Because of the their influence in the judicial aspects of the Ghana, the Gola's social structure dominated through the Poro. With the influx of Islam many groups adopted while others resisted. The Golas fought three wars with pro-Islamic elements in a changing Ghana. These wars were known as the Kumba Wars. The Golas lost the third of these wars and were forced to retreat toward Sierra Leone. They were pursued by the Mende, Gbandi and Loma. Their battles with the Mende in Sierra Leone forced them to retreat yet again and settle finally in Liberia where they encountered the Dei.
[edit] Emigrants from Mali
The Kpelle, Gio, Mano, Mandingo and Vai groups migrated from the Empire of Mali for various reasons. Some escaping political intrigue others looking for a better life. The vais are settled in grand cape Mount county in the west of liberia. They were the first to invent a form of writing in 1833 or 1834. The reported inventor was Dwalu Bukele of Bandakor along the Robertsport(provincial capital) Highway. Of course there are others who participated in this invention. (for more information on this contact James Dwalu of Vai Literacy Association and the Liberia Association of Writers. jvdwalu@yahoo.com
[edit] Repatriates
The Repatriates were resettled from the United States, the Caribbean and the Congo.
[edit] Immigrants from Côte d'Ivoire
In the 1500s: Kru (Tajuasohn), Bassa, Dei, Mamba, Grebo.
[edit] From the Sudan
Islam tribes immigrating from Sudan from the 1500s through 1600s: Vai, Mandingo (see LURD
[edit] 1800s
- Americo-Liberians: Freed slaves and descendants of freed slaves from the U.S. and the Caribbean
- Congo people from the Congo River Basin who were captured for the slave trade but sent to Liberia when slavery was abolished without ever being exposed to non-African cultures.
Gio, Krahn (see Samuel Doe, and MODEL), Kissi, Bella
[edit] Arts
[edit] Language
The official language of Liberia is English.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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