Poro Society In Liberia

The Sande low low concerned with womens affairs in nearly every aspect. The poro and the sande are respectively male and female secret societies that meet in sacred groves in the forest.

Poro Wikipedia

Almost unobtainable in their original an excellent hardcover facsimile reproduction was printed in 2001 as 200 numbered copies some of which are still available.

Poro society in liberia. These two seminal studies by Harley are the basis of much of our present day knowledge of the Poro mens secret society of West Africa and of masks and masking traditions in Liberia. In Mende womens secret society is the sande. Paul Julien was a Dutch photographer and amateur-anthropologist who travelled in the interior of Liberia in 1932.

The Poro can be found in many West African countries including Liberia Sierra Leone Ivory Coast and Guinea. Near most villages there is a Poro bush a clearing in an area of virgin forest where Poro members meet to discuss society business and which is closed to non-members. The Ministry of Internal Affairs MIA which supervises the activities of secret societies and the NCCE but the minister of which is second in authority to the chief Poro zoe with respect to cultural affairs.

Sande and Poro societies play a major social role in the local community life of many villages. The highest ranking member of Poro is called Taso in Mende and Kashi in Temne. First off there are two main societies.

These societies are principally the Poro the mens society concerned primarily with initiation of young boys. The Poro society is a long established cultural institution in Sierra Leone. Traditional leaders across Liberia have temporarily banned all Poro and Sande societies until otherwise ordered.

On June 25 2019 both Sande and Poro heads from the 15 counties in Liberia met in Ganta Nimba County and drafted a policy statement temporarily suspended all Sande activities in the country. With seven year intervals I am now speaking of the Poro of the Kpelle tribe the most prominent members of the society meet and decide that it is time for a Poro-forest which means that the parents decide that their sons from about six years of age will be part of an initiation to become full members of the community. Report By Fatu Boley Contributor The traditional council made the commitment during a one-day event.

Tolbert the President of Liberia from 1971 to 1980 was of Americo-Liberian ancestry. UNMIL explains that in Liberia two departments oversee secret societies. According to sources the Poro Society is a male secret society Sierra Leone 16 May 2013 para.

Sande also known as zadegi bundu bundo and bondo is a womens initiation society in Liberia Sierra Leone Guinea and the Ivory CoastThe Sande society initiates girls into adulthood by rituals including female circumcision. And the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism MICAT which promotes and preserves culture. Paul Julien in Liberia in 1932 Part II.

A 2011 article written by academics from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Spain and the University of Makeni in Sierra Leone. SMART Consortium 2017 20. Gbarnga The National Traditional Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia has promised to prevent the opening of Poro and Sande bushes during the school year while also assuring that no new bushes will be open in the country.

The poro the more important of the organizations is personified by the Great Masked Figure or Grand Master a person who only appears in public disguised by a mask. Poro is the secret society for men responsible for initiating boys into manhood while its counterpart Sande initiates girls into womanhood. Page 356 note 3 This is a matter about which there is very much more material for the Liberian side of the Poro than exists for Sierra Leone.

The Sande for women and Poro for men societies are the trusted custodians of culture in much of Liberia and have been present in the region for centuries. The Poro or Purrah or Purroh is a mens secret society in Sierra Leone Liberia Guinea and the Ivory Coast introduced by the Mande peopleIt is sometimes referred to as a hunting society and only males are admitted to its ranks. There are many other societies as well but these are the main traditional societies for example the Krahn that have a society more like those of Ivory Coast and the Masonic Order which functioned in Liberia as a kind of secret society among Americo-Liberians yet rumored to have practiced.

The female counterpart of the Poro society is the Sande society. The society was introduced by the Mende people and can sometimes be referred to as the hunting society. See Harley 1941 passim and Schwab 1947 pp.

Today starts in the National Museum in Monrovia an exhibition portraying Paul Julien and his work. It is alleged by its supporters to confer fertility to instill notions of morality and proper sexual comportment and to maintain an interest in the well-being of. Lone said that one needed to progress through eight levels of Poro in order to rise to the position of Dahkpanah something Taylor didnt do.

At the end of the two dialogues held at a resort in Ganta Nimba County. 1 it is present throughout the country and in Liberia and Ivory Coast2 Membership is restricted to men3 in Sierra Leone members come from several ethnic groups including the Mende Southern and. And Liberia the sanctions on behavior in nearly every sphere of the com- mon life derive largely from secret societies.

Poro is the society for men Sande for women. On that day over 50 zoes who are heads of Sande and Poro Societies had met with a non-governmental organizationWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding WANEP. He also appropriated the title of the Supreme Zo of the Poro society Johnson 200427.

Posted on 19 July 2014 by Dr. 26678Details of Sande and its organization have been omitted for the sake of brevity but a description may be found inter alia in Little 1951 pp. They teach young men and women the domestic skills and knowledge they will need as married adults.

Liberia Un Report Calls For Ending Sometimes Deadly Cultural Practices That Violate Human Rights Un News