The largest of these is the Mende, found in the Southern and Eastern Provinces. by Chad Finer. Tuchscherer learned that while Kisimi took the lead in spreading the script (which he calls "kikakui") throughout the Mende region, the actual inventor of the Ki-ka-ku script was a local tailor[who?] [citation needed]. Cash crops include cocoa, ginger, peanuts (groundnuts), and palm oil and kernels. White is the color of Sande. Here is a list of the food names and local names in the Sierra Leone diet. Homme de culture et homme de dialogue avant tout, il rassemble, pendant cette priode de triomphe de lhitlrisme, des amis fidles, des compagnons de lutte. Hojo is found in a scale of colors from beige to pure white. The Krios, Mende and Temne are the local people who are living in the areas of Freetown, Sierra Leone and beyonds. One or more brothers and married sisters usually leave sooner or later and are incorporated into other residential units. En 1949, la Maison dEdition ouvre ses portes. In 2006, the country was featured in the movie Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio. In the Mende culture, full-figured women are beautiful. in Sierra Leone that the Mendes, along with the Krios and Sherbros, are educationists. Women often cover their bodies with masses of raffia or black cloth. They exemplify the highest of Mende ideals, and they have the duty of enforcing positive social relationships and of removing any harm that might come to women in their community. Unseth, Peter. In SierraLeone,English is an official language and Krio is the trade language, but in the southernpart of Sierra Leone, people mainly speak their indigenous language Mende. Jah, . Look through examples of dog translation in sentences, listen to pronunciation and learn grammar. The names' popularity increased from the 1970s up to the 1980s. Sierra Leone is said to be inhabited more than 1,200 years ago, and the settlers in the region were already making crops on the north coast. Former Sierra Leone's vice president minister of Justice and Attorney General Francis Minah; former Sierra Leone's attorney general and one of the founding members of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) Banja Tejan-Sie. language and the people, Mende has been widely used referring to the Mende language and its people. The Mende family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. Physical description 16 leaves ; 30 cm. "Gonde is a funny, lovable character who lightens the gloom and reminds everyone that Sande is not always so deadly serious.". Coffee, cocoa, and ginger are grown as cash crops, whereas rice, pepper, groundnuts, beniseed (also known as sesame seeds), and palm oil are grown for local consumption. Also if you can write an article about folk music of Sierra Leone, we can put your article on folkcloud with your name. Print. The Mende predominate in the Southern Province and Eastern Sierra Leone (with the exception of Kono District ). Sierra Leone They named the area 'Sierra Leoa', a derivative of the original Portuguese name. When a girl becomes initiated into the Sande society, the village's master woodcarver creates a special mask just for her. In all there are 16 ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. This is a happy occasion where dances are performed by both the maskers and the initiates. Descriptions of the society and its masquerade events have been made by visitors since the seventeenth century.[9]. . Occupational Psychology (1973). Pakuteh m Mende Means "powerful man" or "strong man" in Mende. [1][2] The Mende are predominantly found in the Southern Province and the Eastern Province. At this time the ndoli jowei comes into town with a group of Sande women while the initiates stay in the bush recovering from their operations. Even the names of his children were mende . 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Sande leaders serve as models to women in the community. Its goal was to teach the Mende people to read and write with a version of the Latin alphabet. It is believed that the father of the first paramount chief Samuka Nallo was a warrior and hunter who came from Sudan, travelling through Liberia and entered Sierra Leone through Pujehun, though this story is difficult to verify. The process is described as being reborn, transformed, andduring a masqueradeas being "regurgitated" into fully socialized adult men. National Institute of Industrial Psychology (Great Britain). They are also known to command respect and possess leadership qualities[citation needed]. The largest of these is the Mende, found in the Southern and Eastern Provinces. Women, on the other hand, often wear multiple bells, referring to concepts of community, since the bells ring harmoniously together. It is their job to model to the Mende women the most important Mende social values. Elle est cet espace dans lequel, romanciers, nouvellistes, conteurs, essayistes, potes et penseurs du Monde Noir peuvent enfin sexprimer et voir circuler leurs uvres. Blood Diamond is a 2006 American political war action thriller film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, and Djimon Hounsou.The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds mined in war zones and sold to finance conflicts, and thereby profit warlords and diamond companies around the world.. Set during the Sierra Leone Civil War of . It is spoken by the Mende people and by other ethnic groups as a regional lingua franca in southern Sierra Leone. Portuguese sailors were among the first Europeans to discover the site of what is now Freetown. 8] Kingdom of Quoja, Sierra Leone, late 17th c. [Based on Jean Barbot, A Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea.In Thomas Astley (ed. The sound is caused by the hard seeds striking the gourd, and can be modulated at will by the netting being relaxed or tightened', Black and white photographic print showing four young women, initiated into the Sande society, wearing traditional hair styles which bare resemblance to those depicted on many Sowei masks. Were you once from Sierra Leone? Mende people account for slightly more than 30% of the total population. Thank you for giving me credit. Sierra Leone has four physical regions. A key element of Sande initiation is the clitoridectomy, or female genital mutilation. Western African names include those from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Major towns. The Sande society is organized by a hierarchy a number of positions all around. ethnic group in Sierra Leone. The largest ethnic group is the Temne (35%), followed by the Mende (31%). Mende is a tonal language belonging to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo language family. I really would like to know. From Wikibooks, open books for an open world < Writing Adolescent Fiction | Character names. Many of their rituals parallel those of the Sande society. Various Mende masks, specifically Sowei Masks, were the focus of a 2013 exhibition in the British Museum, exploring the Sowei traditions.[11]. 1 Usage note; 2 Girls' names; 3 Boys' names; 4 Surnames; Usage note [edit | edit source] Mende is a tonal language belonging to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo language family. They eventually won their freedom and were repatriated. In West Africa the same biological facts are given a different cultural interpretation. In some areas where there were large groups of enslaved Africans, they kept much of their heritage. Helmmaske oder Sowei. Copyright 2009-2022 Baby Names Pedia According to MacCormack, "Contemporary women paramount chiefs are equally prominent, and their political influence now extends into national and international arenas. Prsence Africaine A mask must be kept hidden in a secret place when no one is wearing it. Here is a list of the food names and local names in the Sierra Leone diet. The Mende are known to typically support the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), while the Temnes and Limbas are associated with the All People's Congress party (APC). [citation needed] Samuel Hinga Norman, who was Sierra Leone's minister of Defense and former leader of the militant group the Civil Defense Forces (commonly known as the Kamajors). 36 penpals Top 100 Sierra Leonean names - Sierra Leone See also first names from Sierra Leone on Top-Names.info : [] - The dog was beaten by the rain because of love. After the coup, the RUF changed its name to the People's Army. Jul 30, 1974: A group of Mende and Temne civilians and soldiers together made a foiled coup attempt. The Mende masked figures are a reminder that human beings have a dual existence; they live in the concrete world of flesh and material things and the spirit world of dreams, faith, aspirations and imagination. Downcast eyes symbolize a spiritual nature and it is through these small slits that a woman wearing the mask would look out of. He attended Liverpool College and then Selwyn and Trinity Colleges in Cambridge. I see that you used many of my Sierra Leone images on this site. ", Sande groups conduct masked performances that embody the Sande guardian spirit, who is associated with water and rivers. In the civil war prior to the 1992 coup, the Kamajors organised themselves into self defence units and protected villages and towns against attack by the rebels and rogue units of the nation's army. See also about African names. The names have slipped in popularity since then. Thousands of Mendes were taking shelter in huge refugee camps surrounding the cities of Bo and Kenema, and the people living in those camps were organized according to their home chiefdoms, making it possible for Tuchscherer to survey the entire Mende region (about half of Sierra Leone's territory) in a small space and a short period of time. This study of the Mende, the largest ethnic group in Sierra Leone, uncovers Mende origins, ending at the beginning of the colonial period. All rights reserved. She is inertly seductive, charming, passionate, and dazzling. The small kelei measured 21.5" by 5.5", the large kelei measured 60" by 13". Various Artists. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore the land and gave Sierra Leone its name, which means "lion mountains." [Drawings of Western Africa, University of Virginia Library, Special Collections, MSS 14357, no. Laws of Sierra Leone; Sierra Leone has 16 different ethnic groups, each with a different language. The script achieved widespread use for a time, but has largely been replaced with an alphabet based on the Latin script, and the Mende script is considered a "failed script".[13]. The Mende and Temne each account for slightly more than 30% of the country's total population. , Sierra Leone's first prime minister from 1961 to 1964. The names' popularity increased from the 1970s up to the 1980s. . Mende names for baby girls, with 36 entries. Request Permissions, Published By: Prsence Africaine Editions. It is generally assumed that they migrated westwards from the interior of Liberia. The bells on the necklaces are of the type believed capable of being heard by spirits, ringing in both worlds, that of the ancestors and the living. [citation needed] Vows that express a social bond are taken after the operation; these vows are a metaphor for the support the women will have during the pains of childbirth. They are in great physical shape and have endurance and stamina. In 1988, thirteen of the 146 paramount chiefs were female. The intricate hairstyles reveal the close ties within a community of women. The Mende find unarranged "wild" hair immoral and associate individuals who possess this trait with wild behavior. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Traditional female circumcision is thought to remove the female's residue of maleness. Series History (Niamey, Niger) ; 4. The word indicates that the Sande initiation makes a woman of a child, and every woman into a wife. Their efforts to return home were frustrated by the ship's remaining crew, who navigated up to the United States. en . Thickness means the woman has more individual strands of hair and the length is proof of strength. I am African American and I recently did my DNA ancestry to find out that I am Mende on my maternal side. He settled at a place called Geakoibu, a Mende phrase meaning "under the Geakoi". The main economic activities include fishing, rice growing and palm oil plantations. Mende names are used by the Mende people of Sierra Leone. By the end of their brutal training, the girls have transformed into young woman who are tough and confident even in the harshest of conditions. [4][5], The Mende are divided into five clans: the Kpa-Mende, who are predominantly in the Moyamba district to the south; the Golah-Mende, who inhabit the Gola forest between Kenema and Pujehun districts into Liberia; Sewa-Mende, who settled along the Sewa River; the Vai-Mende, who are also in Liberia and the Pujehun district of Sierra Leone; and the Koh-Mende, who are a dominant tribe in Kailahun district.[6]. 2011. Effects of the civil war. They often provided the only reliable defence. trans-la-tion. "[15][16], MacCormack further notes, "There is a tendency in Western culture to define women as weak and needing protection, since they bear children. Sierra Leone remains among the world's poorest countries, ranking 180 th out of 187 countries in the Human Development . In 1949, the publishing house opens its doors. Mothers with many children are seen as strong, capable authority figures. Indigenous People of Sierra. Abstract. [12] The rings indicate prosperity and wholesome living, and are given by God to show his affection for a fortunate few. Routledge; 4th edition (2001). They told the crew to return them to Africa. The start of the ceremony is Schmidt, Cynthia. The Temne predominate in the Northern Sierra Leone and the Areas around the capital of Sierra Leone . Find out how surnames are ranked in popularity, how many people in the United States of America bear a particular name, and how the statistics change between 1990 and 2000 US Censuses. The scars are a symbol of her new, harder life. Seeing how the British managed to take over his country, Kisimi concluded that their power was partly a result of their literacy. Olson, James S. The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary (1996). At this occasion, an announcement is made to inform people of the date for the gani celebration; which is the last event of the Sande initiation that ndoli jowei appears at. The Cubans merchants Ruiz and Montes denounced the Mende and asserted that they were their property. Their usage peaked modestly in 1985 with 0.349% of baby girls being given Mende names. It is also their duty to enforce proper social relationships and to remove anything that might be harmful to the women in their community. Subscribe now to receive a complimentary E-Yearbook compilation! Further details may exist on the, Women's political influence in Mende society. The Temne are dominant in the Northern Sierra Leone and areas around the capital, while the Mende live mostly in the South-Eastern Sierra Leone and the Kono District. Very informative. Boiled and made into a stew with palm oil fish and flavourings. Published as Figure 63 in T. J. Alldridge, 1901, The Sherbro and Its Hinterland ), Throwing cowries to determine the name of the mask, The Yassi Society (1900)- The Yassi is a society professedly for women, but it does not object to giving "medicinal treatment" to men of the Poro order. The traditional character of Gonde is also a Ndoli jowei or dance instructor, but rather than a harsh enforcer, she acts as the comic relief. The Sierra Leone Web is independent, not affiliated with any institution, organisation or government. translations dog + Add . . Next to them in number is the Temne in the North. Before a woman can take a leadership role in artistic activities she must be eligible at least as a Ligba Wulo. [citation needed] It begins with the child's grade of discovery, followed by extensive training and service. Sande is the guardian of women: their protector and guide through life. Mende is one of the major indigenouslanguages spoken in SierraLeone. Thus, names supply the instrumental ities in which some of the most perceptive events in the society are communicated. Ndoli jowei does not dance on this occasion because it is not yet time for celebration. An ordinary member is referred to as nyaha. In 1996, the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), the party of southerners and the Mende in particular, won elections. They are the experts of the Sande women and have access to spirit ancestors and forces of nature. The clay comes from the water like many other aspects of Sande. The spirit comes from the water, and what the human eye sees on the necks of women "is human in form, but divine in essence", as portrayed in the mask. White is symbolic of the spirit world and also of the secret parts of society where people aim for the highest standards. With a land area of 27,699 square miles (71,740 square kilometers), it is slightly smaller than the state of South Carolina. Rice cooperatives have been formed in some rural areas. However, in some other parts of West Africa, it is often used as a male name. Adama is predominantly a female name in Sierra Leone. Often girls are awoken in the middle of the night to practice the dance; sometimes they are forced to stay awake for nearly 48 hours dancing almost the entire time. Homme de culture et homme de dialogue avant tout, il rassemble, pendant cette priode de triomphe de lhitlrisme, des amis fidles, des compagnons de lutte. All Mende women when they reach puberty begin the initiation process into the Sande society. During the 1940s, the British set up the Protectorate Literacy Bureau in Sierra Leone's second largest city of Bo. Sierra Leone Freetown, Sierra Leone, mid-19th century. In Glosbe you will find translations from English into Mende (Sierra Leone) coming from various sources. "This is Sande; women together in their womanhood, in a free exchange of words and actions among sisters. There are two grades within ligba; Ligba Wa (senior) and Ligba Wulo (junior). The Mende are generally known as growers of rice and several other crops, practicing crop rotation to protect soil productivity. The Bulom people were thought to have been the earliest inhabitants of Sierra Leone, followed by the Mende and Temne peoples in the 15th century and thereafter the Fulani. Sie zeichnen sich durch eine breite Stirn, einen geschlossenen Mund, Fettrllchen am Hals und aufwndige Frisuren aus. Potentially, Adama is a tender, sociable, and highly responsive to sentimental expressions. 2 followers. They began moving into Sierra Leone slowly and peacefully in the eighteenth century. It takes time, care and patience to grow a beautiful, full head of hair. 315486_10151039415834854_11027267_n_edit. What was the former name of Freetown? In all there are 16 ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. She coaches the slower dancers, encouraging them to work hard. A woman who wears these masks must not expose any part of her body or a vengeful spirit may take possession of her. The Mende are one of the two largest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone; their neighbours, the Temne people, constitute the largest ethnic group at 35.5% of the total population, which is slightly larger than the Mende at 31.2%. At this time, the new initiates are brought into town for the first time since the initiation process began; accompanied by ndoli jowei. [citation needed]. They have also been called symbols of the pattern of concentric, circular ripples the Mende spirit makes when emerging from the water.[9]. Mende people consider a beautiful neck to be one with rings as it shows adolescent girls becoming ready for childbearing by the increase in body fat. During this time period, Britain had occupied the French slave-trading posts along the coast of Senegambia. This surgery is supposed to foreshadow the pain a Mende woman experiences during childbirth. The small mouth signifies the ideal woman's quiet and humble character. The Mende people are one of the two largest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone, a country on the west coast of Africa. This was the period of Sierra Leone's civil war, and to Tuchscherer's surprise, he found that instead of impeding his research, the war actually advanced it. Homme de culture et homme de dialogue avant tout, il rassemble, pendant cette priode de triomphe de lhitlrisme, des amis fidles, des compagnons de lutte. Ideas about hair root women to nature, the way hair grows is compared to the way forests grow. about | terms of use | privacy policy 2004 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings/Folkways Records. The pure white Hojo is rarer, found only deep beneath the surface of the water. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions As a noun kpowa means "an ignoramus, stupid, retarded, a fool" as a verb it means "to become insane or deranged.". Starchy food cooked into a thick paste and molded. However there is no general stylistic marker that distinguishes Mende artefacts from those of their Bullom neighbours and there is a good deal of cultural overlap between the two groups. As a result, usage of Kisimi's syllabary gradually diminished and, until recently scholars thought that the script was all but forgotten. The largest and most influential are the Temne at about 35% and the Mende at about 31%. Sometime, at the beginning of the 19th century, Sierra Leone became a British colony. "[15] Lynda Rose Day, another authority on Mende female chiefs, writes that "Women rise naturally to leadership positions when they are senior wives in large polygynous households, when they are the oldest living relatives of a large landholding descent group, or when they are heads of local Sande chapters. A non-member is kpowa. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. They are considered to favor learning than doing business. 8,344); Bonthe Island; Economy. My Journey to Mende Tribe Village in Sierra Leone | Ballehun village - YouTube Touring the village of Dr. Henry Bonor Mathia, where he attempted to build a hospital but fell short due to. Bonthe, district capital (2012 estimated pop. The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), which is one of the two major political parties in the country, is predominantly based among the Mende people. [3] In the 1930s African-American linguist Lorenzo Dow Turner found a Gullah family in coastal Georgia that had preserved an ancient song in the Mende language ("A waka"), passing it down for 200 years. [not specific enough to verify] Work is divided by gender: men attend to the heavy work of clearing the land for planting rice, while women clean and pound rice, fish, and weed the planted crops. Sierra Leone is a small country on the coast of West Africa. Helmet masks are made from a section of tree trunk, often of the kpole (cotton) tree, and then carved and hollowed to fit over the wearer's head and face. In the 1990s three modern researchers -- Joseph Opala, Cynthia Schmidt, and Tazieff Koroma located a Mende village in Sierra Leone where the same song is still sung today. "[16], Please expand the article to include this information. Girl with Sande society hairstyle. The Temne people established small chiefdoms in . [citation needed]. Hojo and Sande are parallel in that they are both well hidden and secretive in its purest form. Mattru is the main city, located 52 miles southwest of Bo, along the Jong River, which provides access to Sherbro Island and the Atlantic Ocean.. During their training, the initiates learn everything that is essential for the survival of the community. who developed it in order to keep an accurate record of his customers' names and measurements. The rank below sowie is ligba. (There are certain cultural differences between them. 63, p.211 / Bundu [Sande] girls, Vassa Country . What is the original name of Sierra Leone? Food Local Names Krio: Mende: Temne: Blackeyed Beans: Binch: Nyekende: E-Tue: Bread: Brade: . I am so proud of my heritage. The chiefdom today recognizes 10 Page 13 10 four families;. Homme de culture et homme de dialogue avant tout, il rassemble, pendant cette priode de triomphe de lhitlrisme, des amis fidles, des compagnons de lutte. Some of the major cities with significant Mende populations include Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, and Moyamba. Some of the major cities with significant Mende population include Bo, Kenema, Kailahun and . Ahmad Tejan Kabbah took up the presidency, a doctor involved with the Kamajors in Kenema, Joe Demby, became his vice president, and "Pa" Norman was appointed deputy defence minister. The Mende are one of the two largest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone; their neighbours, the Temne people, constitute the largest ethnic group at 35.5% of the total population, which is slightly larger than the Mende at 31.2%. Mende & Timne of Sierra Leone - Archives & Special Collections - LibGuides at University of Central Oklahoma Library Skip to Main Content Apply Directory Library UCONNECT Careers Maps COVID Home About Services Research & Learning Special Collections Innovation Studio Here to help! The name is derived from Mende "Fele" (two), "gor" (to bargain) and "ma" (place). Close to half (44.7 percent) of the British Atlantic slave trade voyages from Senegambia (narrowly defined: excluding Sierra Leone) went to Britain's North American mainland colonies. This procedure is considered necessary to change Mende children, who are considered to be of neutral sex before the procedure, to heterosexual, gendered adults. [2] Alioune Diop, jeune intellectuel Sngalais, prpare ds 1941 ce qui sera luvre de sa vie : Prsence Africaine. He is also the son of former prime minister Albert Margai and the nephew of Milton Margai; and former Sierra Leone's minister of finance John Oponjo Benjamin, who is currently the National Leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). The neighbouring countries include Guinea which borders it to the North east and Liberia to its South East. I read that Marcus Garvey and Dr. Martin L. King were Mende. The names have slipped in popularity since then. Kisimi claimed he was inspired in a dream to create the Mende syllabary, which he called Ki-ka-ku. Hairstyles are very important in Mende society. LEARN MENDE . Select Some names and place names in Mende society (Sierra Leone) Imprint Naimey, Niger : Centre for Linguistic and Historical Studies by Oral Tradition, Organization of African Unity, 1980. Mende names are somewhat popular as baby girl names. I watched the documentary listed on this site, The language you cry in. Mende cultural institutions such as the Sande society have been widely studied and the artworks associated with them, notably Sande helmet masks, are the best known objects to have come out of Sierra Leone. +52 definitions . The women come into town to tell men they have initiated people into Sande. [citation needed] The shock of this experience also tests a Mende woman's physical endurance. Apr 1971: Sierra Leone became a republic, with Stevens as president. They are unusual because the masks are worn by women. The Mende people speak the Mende language (also called Boumpe, Hulo, Kossa, or Kosso), which belongs to the Mande language branch of the proposed Niger-Congo language family. Sierra Leone as a country lies between latitude and longitude 12.2 degrees west and 8.5 degrees north respectively. The features of a Mende mask convey Mende ideals of female morality and physical beauty. With them is kept the special Yassi medicine, in the presence of which the prophetess of the society has to be uncovered. Other prominent Sierra Leonean politicians from the Mende ethnic group include the country's second prime minister Sir Albert Margai, who was also the younger brother of Milton Margai; former commander of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and former Sierra Leone's head of state Brigadier David Lansana; former Head of State of Sierra Leone Brigadier General Julius Maada Bio[citation needed]; former Sierra Leone's vice president Albert Joe Demby; former Sierra Leone's vice president and attorney general Solomon Berewa. Its role in national politics continuously changed throughout the twentieth century. Traditionally, Mende farming has been carried out by labour groups organised on a local basis and moving from farm to farm (NIIP, 1973). But American historian Konrad Tuchscherer made some striking discoveries regarding Ki-ka-ku in the 1990s while researching his Ph.D. thesis for the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. [citation needed] Sande influences every aspect of a Mende woman's life; it is present before birth and still present after. In 1880 there were 31 Mende families living in Pennsylvania. 'Sehgura players, Sierra Leone - The Sehgura is a small hollow gourd covered loosely by a netting of country-grown cotton, upon which are strung split hard shells of seeds. See Fyfe's, Hist. The Mende are one of the two largest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone; their neighbors, the Temne people, have roughly the same population. They are subject to the authority of Sande law and punishment. And he found that the Mende syllabary, far from being forgotten, was still being used by quite a few people, mostly elderly men. The pattern continues to this day. A literature review and interview responses from seven Sierra . . Mende is a major language of Sierra Leone, with some speakers in neighboring Liberia. The focus is on Sierra Leonean Mende women and the relevance of their cultural perspective to clinical care. More Filters Prev Page 1 2 Next Page Aamadu m Western African, Fula Fula form of Ahmad. It is a moral philosophy that focuses on the perpetual refinement of the individual. Sierra Leone is bounded by Guinea to the north and northeast, Liberia to the south and southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Palm Trees. In the pre-colonial era, the Mende had female chiefs and war leaders. The common singing form is solo with refrain, sung by both men and women. Sierra Leone is a West African country near the Atlantic Ocean. January 1, 1965. "It shows a 'harmlessness'; it is void of all things evil and is thus 'a positive and helpful color. Dancing the masks is part of this work, but not the most important part. en animal . The Sande society is concerned with defining what it is to be human and with discovering the ways of promoting love, justice, and harmony. In 2018, their total usage was only 0.065% with 2 Mende names listed among the top 1000. Treatment of this in various sources is rather different. Following his studies of black-white interaction and racial discrimination . The Mende are mostly farmers and hunters. Sierra Leonean politician Charles Margai, who is the leader of one of the country's main opposition party the People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC). [citation needed], But Tuchscherer made another important discovery a few years earlier before the war broke out when he visited the town of Potoru in Pujehun District, where Kisimi Kamara came from. The main instruments providing rhythmic variation are kelei (slit-log drum), sangbei (single-skin drum), and segbure (rattle). This routine is followed during ten months of every year, with a couple of months left around the New Year, when they can spend more time in the village engaging in domestic pursuits like house building. Pieh, Sengbe Alternate Names: Cinque, Joseph 1813-1879 Mende Mission Sierra Leone Sengbe Pieh (circa 1813-1879), also known as Joseph Cinque, was the courageous leader of a revolt by slaves on board the slave ship Amistad in 1839, an event which led ultimately to a historic trial in the Supreme Court of the United States and had far-reaching consequences for both that country and Sierra Leone. The sowie have control over certain sacred knowledge that is essential to the development of success and happiness in an individual, and also to the well-being of the community. Regional warfare throughout the 19th century led to the capture and sale of many Mende-speakers into slavery. The story of this Mende song, and its survival in both Africa and the US, is chronicled in the documentary film The Language You Cry In. [14], The Mende are a well-documented example of a non-western, pre-industrial society in which, at least historically, women took more political leadership positions relative to men. Regardless, when the . She is there only as a reminder of the powerful medicine which has been summoned by the Sande session. She was formally recognized by the British as a Paramount Chief in 1894, ruling an area that was eventually divided into fourteen chiefdoms. The Mende have always had a remarkable enthusiasm for secret societies. Fage, John D. History of Africa. But it is possible that in many instances what happened was not that Mende immigrants displaced the indigenous inhabitants over most of southern Sierra Leone, but that the numbers of those using Mende as their everyday language increased generation on generation at the expense of the indigenous languages Krim and Bullom (a process we can observe at the present day); and that many who think of themselves as Mende today could be descended from Krim, Bullom or Temne speakers. Mende (mndi/ (Mnde yia) is a major language of Sierra Leone, with some speakers in neighboring Liberia. Check 'dog' translations into Mende (Sierra Leone). Written in pencil on the back of the image is Fig. The Minseri images through which the spells are worked are kept in the Yassi hut, which is not in the bush but in the town or village. The Mende are a Muslim majority group, though with a large Christian minority. There was unrest among the Mende and Temne. When inducted into this society, Mende boys are initiated into manhood. This Poro dance song is an accompaniment to acrobatics performed by boys who have just returned from the society. The goals of this secret society are to teach young Mende women the responsibilities of adulthood. Sowei, the judge of women, wears white to represent clear thinking and justice. Kenneth Lindsay Little (1908-1991) was at British anthropologist. [7], The Poro prepares men for leadership in the community, so they might attain wisdom, accept responsibility, and gain power. Celebrating our African historical personalities,discoveries, achievements and eras as proud people with rich culture, traditions and enlightenment spanning many years. Their usage peaked modestly in 1985 with 0.349% of baby girls being given Mende names. More Filters Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. According to Kenneth Little, writing in the 60s, even the prevalence of Poro societies was far more widespread among Mende than Temne.[8]. Mende in Sierra Leone [MSL] Population Description These cell lines and DNA samples were prepared from blood samples collected from people living in Sierra Leone who identified themselves as Mende. One girl has her face painted, two other girls have scarification marks over their forehead and stomach. Bonthe district was first among the districts in . La Philosophie Bantoue, du Rvrend Pre Placide Tempels, qui suscite de nombreuses controverses, est le premier ouvrage publi par les Editions Prsence Africaine. This study used a quantitative market survey to examine the ecological importance of the medicinal plant trade in Sierra Leone and the existing trading systems, so that it could be determined. ME IN THE METAVERSE CHRISTMAS EDITION- ART & PHOTO CONTEST. Sometime in the early 16th century they began moving south. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. The greatest sins a Mende man can commit is to give away the secrets of their tribe. The actual name of the town is "Gbahama." It was so called because, before the town moved to its present spot, it suffered a number of defeats in the hands of its enemies. Dembo m Mende Means "warrior" in Mende. When Sierra Leone became a British Crown Colony in 1808, the official name was a misspelled version of the name in Spanish (Sierra Leona), modified to Sierra Leone. The neck rings at the base of the mask are an exaggeration of actual neck creases. 24 Senesi Kpakpaso (1965), Mende names were later found with ease for 'offices' later added by the British. Initiates are colored with this white clay to show that they are the property of Sande. sierra leone food; food ingredients; krio; (Boone) A woman with long, thick hair illustrates a life force, she may be blessed with a green thumb giving her the ability to have a promising farm and many healthy children. Sierra Leone, 543,Google Scholar Little's, The Mende, 176 -77, and Protectorate Ordinances, 20/1896, 11/1897, 15/1897.Google Scholar The Mende (also spelled Mend) are one of the two largest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone; their neighbours, the Temne people, have roughly the same population. The sowie are the highest-ranking leaders of the group. Three groups of Mende are commonly distinguished corresponding to different Mende dialects: the Kpa Mende, west of the Jong or Teye river; the Sewa Mende, between the Jong and the Waanje rivers; and the Ko Mende, east of the Waanje. The Language You Cry In: The Story of a Mende Song:The Language You Cry In: The Story of a Mende Song. American Anthropologist (1999): n. pag. Die Helmmasken der Mende, auch Sowei genannt, wurden von lteren Frauen bei den bergangsriten zum Erwachsensein von Mdchen getragen, die Sande oder Bundu genannt wurden. This event involved fifty-two free Mende people, stolen by Portuguese slavers in 1839, who were shipped via the Middle Passage to Havana, Cuba, where they were sold to Cuban sugar plantation owners, Jos Ruiz and Pedro Montes. Writing Adolescent Fiction/Character names/Sierra Leonean. Mende, people of Sierra Leone, including also a small group in Liberia; they speak a language of the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo family. Hair must be tied down under strict control and shaped into intricate, elegant styles for the sake of beauty and sex appeal. Objects and people who are marked with Hojo are under Sande protection and control. Hojo is a white clay that Mende women use to mark their territory. There is much work to be done during the initiation process. Coup leader Johnny Koroma said the government of Tejan . Next to them in number is the Temne in the North. Among all Mende names, Jenna (English and German) was the most widely used, with a ranking of #423 and a usage of 0.0398%. The next time ndoli jowei appears is at a minor feast called Kpete gbula yombo le or Sowo mba yili gbi. Gonde becomes a friend to the initiates, amusing them to help them forget the hard ordeals they are going through. Ndoli jowei, the expert in dancing, is in charge of teaching young Mende girls to dance. Look at his name, Siaka. Gola Poro Dance, accompanied by one small kelei, one large kelei, one shegbureh and handclapping. Learning dance is a harsh discipline that every Mende girl must tackle. Alioune Diop, jeune intellectuel Sngalais, prpare ds 1941 ce qui sera luvre de sa vie : Prsence Africaine. Geography Sierra Leone shares borders with Guinea and Liberia. This was about 26% of all the recorded Mende's in USA. | Location: Kamajors, Sierra Leone. . Aaminata f Western African, Fula The syllabary became a popular method of keeping records and writing letters. by Chad Finer, Newly initiated Sande (Bondo) Secret society girl with her body painted with white clay. by Chad Finer, Sande (bondo) Devil. The Gullah use such masculine names as Sorie, Tamba, Sanie, Vandi, and Ndapi, and such feminine names as Kadiatu, Fatimata, Hawa, and Isataall common in Sierra Leone. It is a Mende name. The ensuing case, heard in Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut, affirmed that the captives were free, and resulted in the return of the thirty-six surviving Mende to their homes. This article provides a clinically pertinent overview of Sierra Leonean immigrants, a growing patient population that most health care workers know little about. Jun 1978: . History does not tell us why he chose Benjamin. At the beginning, young men aged 20 are called into the society and are trained by the group above them, along with a few elders. The shared pain of the clitoridectomy creates permanent bonds among the initiates. Afrikanische Kunst. Name-giving is an art among the Mende people. The Temne claim to have come from Futa Jallon, which is in present-day Guinea. Most of the country's top government positions have been held by the Mende. Also available in the iTunes Store. On the list below you can find some folk songs or traditional songs from Sierra Leone. Wherever two or three women are gathered together, there is the spirit of Sande. The SLPP gets most of its support in Mende- predominate south-east region of Sierra Leone. The Wunde society (q.v.) Mende are the second largest ethnic group (31 %) in Sierra Leone after the Temne (35 %) and they can be found in the Southern and Eastern provinces of the country.21 Citing a source from 1987, the . Names in Mende Oral Tradition When one lives among, or associates with, the Mende people of Sierra Leone, one perceives a plethora of names mostly connected with natural phenomena. He later named himself James Benjamin Covey. 1979 Prsence Africaine Editions Immigrants from Sierra Leone are coming from a country that since the late 1990s has been ranked at the bottom of the United Nations' Human Development Index. 10 Songs, 46 Minutes. Surprisingly, I found out from my maternal grandmother that she, her parents and the parents before them were rice growers in Mississippi. This event is known as yaya gbegbi. The Mende are patrilineal, patrilocal, and polygamous. Like a majority of African nations, Sierra Leone's political parties are often tied to specific ethnic groups and have been dominated by the Mende, on the one hand, and the Temne and their long-time political allies, the Limba, on the other. In Sande initiation, there are three major events in which the ndoli jowei appear publicly. Ndoli jowei is the principal spirit for celebration, although she also appears on other occasions besides celebrations. The Mende also produce beautifully woven fabrics which are popular throughout western Africa, and gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, armlets, and earrings. In the centre of the above illustration the Yassi drum can be seen, and on the left three Kambehs, or members of the second degree', , Sierra Leone's first prime minister from 1961 to 1964, dancing with Queen Elizabeth in Freetown,Sierra Leone in 1961 when the Queen visited, Producer/Directors: Alvaro Toepke and Angel Serrano, http://www.africanancestry.com/blog/category/reveals/, http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Mende.aspx, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mende_people, http://www.sierra-leone.org/Books/Amistad.pdf, MAMI WATA: THE SACRED FEMALE AFRICAN WATER DEITY, BATAMMARIBA (TAMBERMA) PEOPLE: AFRICA`S INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURALLY ADVANCED PEOPLE AND PENIS ELONGATION AND ENLARGEMENT SPECIALISTS. The translations are sorted from the most common to the less popular. The masks associated with the fraternal and sorority associations of the Marka and the Mende are probably the best-known and finely crafted in the region. All the girls also bear similar body adornment, or jewellery, across the chest and round the neck. A Mende woman's hair must be well groomed, clean, and oiled. The rings also indicate a relationship with the divine: the Sowo itself is a deity from the waters, and the neck rings represent the concentric waves that are formed on still water by Sowo's head breaking through the surface. The Mende traditionally live in villages of 70 to 250 residents, which are situated from 1.5 to 5 kilometers apart. The Mende are predominantly found in the Southern Province and the Eastern Province. The holes at the base of the mask are where the rest of the costume is attached. The senior male has moral authoritythe right to respect and obedienceover the family as a whole, especially with regard to the negotiation of debts, damages, and bride-wealth. [citation needed] An initiate in training is called mbogdoni. This video is about the Mende People who have origins in Sierra Leone & Liberia and you'll learn about the language, dance and societies of the Mende's #mend. At the library SAL3 (off-campus storage) No public access Stacks Request Literally it means a market place. Archives & Special Collections Give Now | All Hours About Us Only a woman in mourning can let her hair loose. Some relics of Temne names still survive on the peninsula (Sierra Leone) in such names as "Rokel," "Pasande," "King Jimi," "Robis," and "Kisi." The name "Temne" is derived from the root "Otem," meaning "an old gentleman," to which reflexive "ne" is added as a suffix. . The bearing of children demonstrates that women are strong and active agents in a society, capable of holding political office. that has been domesticated for thousands of years; occurs in many breeds. Masks are the collective Mind of Mende community; viewed as one body, they are the Spirit of the Mende people. In Sierra Leone, even though it is my mende people who are in the Southeast and are majority according to the national statistics, a mende man has never govern Sierra Leone but they carry the blame when a non centrist leaders perceived to be a tribalist becomes leader of our country. Sierra leonean Last Names [Surnames] These people were called the Bulom people. [15], Although it is impossible to know the extent to which other Mende women rose to leadership positions comparable to Madam Yoko's, historians believe that perhaps fifteen to twenty percent of the local leaders with whom the British negotiated at the time of colonial consolidation were women. He went by Covie in Sierra Leone after being liberated by a British naval ship. I would love to hear more about the migration from Sudan and why it was done. Invention of Scripts in West Africa for Ethnic Revitalization. Practitioner knowledge of cultural norms such as female genital mutilation and discomfort with opposite sex health practitioners can improve cross-cultural interactions in the health arena. She is highly mobile and emotionally unstable. The Mende, who are believed to be descendants of the Mane, were originally in the Liberian hinterland. [9] Examples of these masks appear in museums. We are the #1 resource for Mende language learning. The markings on the cheeks are representative of the decorative scars girls receive as they step into womanhood. Alioune Diop, jeune intellectuel Sngalais, prpare ds 1941 ce qui sera luvre de sa vie : Prsence Africaine. The member always knows and understands what is being said. On the way, they escaped their bondage and were led in a rebellion by Sengbe Pieh. Hani Lnga ti Lisia - Names of Some Things : Bamande-i Buku-i Dwu-i Faji Fula-i Gbgb (komui)-i Gele-i Haama-i Hokpa-i Jiwi-i Jw-i Ka (manh)-i . Alioune Diop, jeune intellectuel Sngalais, prpare ds 1941 ce qui sera luvre de sa vie : Prsence Africaine. Popular cermonial food. There is little or no mechanization over the greater part of rural Mende country. It is this space in which novelists, novelists, storytellers, essayists, poets and thinkers of the Black World can finally express themselves and see their works circulating. The girls are taught to be hardworking and modest in their behavior, especially towards their elders. All individuals identified themselves as having four Mende grandparents. Summary. Drawing from documentary, oral, anthropological, linguistic and other evidence, the work argues that Mende originated as a "lingua franca" sometime in the late 16th century and spread fairly quickly. Both thickness and length are elements that are admired by the Mende. What are the names of the chiefdoms in Sierra Leone? I am also DNA tested Mende. :-), Could someone state what does the word "Mende" means. Contents. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. When girls make a mistake in the steps, they are whipped with a switch until they get it right. . [10] The bird on top of the head represents a woman's natural intuition that lets her see and know things that others can't. The politics of Sierra Leone have traditionally been dominated by the Mende[citation needed]. Sierra Leone is located on the west coast of Africa, north of the equator. It is Sande that grants a woman with an identity and a personality. Its name means "lion mountains." It was named for the hills that surround the country's main harbor. The largest of these is the Mende, found . World Museum Liverpool Sierra Leone Collection. After working the plantation, they were placed on the schooner Amistad and shipped to another Cuban plantation. ), A New General Collection of Voyages and Travels (London, 1745-47), vol. It is well known[by whom?] Dirty, disheveled hair is a sign of insanity. During the seven-year initiation period, the young men converse with each other using a secret language and passwords, known only to other Poro members. ngl noun. The story of this ancient Mende song, and its survival in both Africa and the US, is chronicled in the documentary film The Language You Cry In. In the Americas, especially the United States, researchers have discovered that elements of African culture had long persistence. A woman's hair is a sign of femininity. The capital is Freetown. Welcome to Mendeland! 826-830. The Mende likewise predominate in the South-Eastern Sierra . 315486_10151039415834854_11027267_n_edit. The Bantu Philosophy of the Reverend Father Placide Tempels, which arouses many controversies, is the first book published by the Presence Africaine Editions. Within the top 1000 baby names then, there was 1 Mende name. Translations from dictionary English - Mende (Sierra Leone), definitions, grammar. Girls practice for hours at a time until they drop from exhaustion. These masks appear not only in initiation rituals but also at important events such as funerals, arbitrations and the installation of chiefs. Its smooth, shiny surface reflects light, making it eye-catching. This is part of the mystery of this secret society. is found only among the Kpa Mende; elsewhere in Mendeland its place is taken by the Poro society.) Sierra Leone is home to about sixteen ethnic groups, each with its own language. Referring to Populations During the 1920s and 1930s, he ran a school in southern Sierra Leone to teach Ki-ka-ku. Much Mende art is in the form of jewelry and carvings. A woman who does not groom and maintain her hair has neglected the community's standards of behavior. said even the late President Siaka Stevens was neither a Limba nor a Northerner. Mende names are somewhat popular as baby girl names. Served with plasas. Ethnic Groups. Welcome to Mendeland! [9] The woodcarver must wait until he has a dream that guides him to make the mask a certain way for the recipient. The Mende grow rice as their staple crop, as well as yams and cassava. He received his PhD from the University of London, and his thesis was published in 1948 as Negroes in Britain. This signifies that they are under the protection of Sande and should not be fooled with. The vegetation on earth is the "hair" on the head of Mother Nature in the same way the hair on the head of a woman is her "foliage." One such female chief, Madam Yoko (18491906), was the leader of the vast Kpa Mende Confederacy. The English man is in the Southeast, the Scottish in the North. His Mende name was Kaweli. Hartholz, Raffiabast und Pigmente. Mende girl drinking water from a bore-hole tap, Mende Sande (Bondo) initiates and Mende Devil. Mende farmers use hoes and machetes, but few other tools. Poro is historically both a political and social organization structuring communities and administrating judicial manners. [citation needed]. Most notable were those found aboard the Amistad in 1839. To them, education comes first. He decided to give the Mende people that ability. In any group there is only one Ligba Wa; she is an executive officer in Sande. Sierra Leoneans can easily recognize that they are playing the shegureh, a women's instrument (rattle) characteristic of the Mende and neighboring tribes.</small> The climate of coastal South Carolina and Georgia was excellent for the cultivation of rice, but it proved equally suitable for the spread of tropical diseases. traditional music of Sierra Leone . Mr.Lebbie warned that Sierra Leone is a small country and the tribes are interrelated and have inter-married and as a result, no one tribe can now rule Sierra Leone. The long end of the netting is held in the left hand and the short neck of the gourd in the right. Learn from native speakers and join a community of nearly 2 million people! The largest ethno-linguistic group in southern Sierra Leone and the most culturally dominant in the area. This validates the unruly behavior of the Sande women. [citation needed] The Poro society is the male equivalent to the female Sande society. [1] [2] The Mende are predominantly found in the Southern Province and the Eastern Province. The first occurs 13 days after the initiates have been taken into the bush to be circumcised. 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