My Favorite Images

Over the next few weeks I plan to post the images that I took during my Peace Corps days that I like the best. Many of these images will have been posted before - but I think it will be worthwhile to post these again. Some are just quality pictures or portraits that I like because of the subjects in them, and for how they came out.  Others either remind me of wonderous events or of wonderful people who I met while living and working in Sierra Leone.  As I have said before - I did extensive travel throughout the area where we lived [Nongowa Chiefdom - Kenema District - Eastern Province] and I was always carrying two cameras with me on these treks.  One camera contained color slide film. The second camera contained black & white film.  When I took portraits of people - I usually ended up returning and giving each person a black & white print. I suspect that many of these pictures still exist and are in the posession of the people who were willing to have their picture taken.  So if you follow this site - stay tuned. During the next few weeks I will post those images that I consider my best. I hope you will enjoy them. They will be posted at random and in no special order of preference.  I would appreciate any comments.  Please note that all images are copyrighted by me and can not be used for any purpose without my permission. Thanks

This photo is of the local area Bondo at the village of Bitema in Nongowa Chiefdom. The young girl in white was the initiate from this village in 1970. Taken in early 1970 many of the women in this picture were neighbors. Among them is Moiyatu (purple headdress with hands on hips) who was a Bondo initiate in 1969 in Kenema. To Moiyatu's left (in green docket and next to the Bondo Devil) is Bonya.  She was a wonderful singer who lived across from us on Dama Rd in Kenema. The older woman (with yellow headdress) is Mama Hawa, one of the leaders of the Bondo Society in our area. Standing next to her (to her right) is her daughter. Bitema was a small Mende village on the road from Kenema to the town of Dama and to Dama Chiefdom.  Consisting of perhaps a dozen huts, the village was remote in the sense that it had no electricity and no modern conveniences. It sat about 3 to 5 miles outside of Kenema proper. 
[posted April 18, 2013]
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Pa Sam at his farm house
near Vaama Nongowa
circa 1969
Taken in the mid afternoon after I had gone to visit Pa Sam at his farm house and to see his upland rice farm. His upland farm of several acres was cared for by him and his wife Massa. On this afternoon he sat on a log taking a break from the day's work and allowed me to take his picture. The farm house, more of a lean-to than an actual house, was made of a wood frame and a roof of palm leaves. During the rain season this could provide shelter. In this photo are many of the accessories that Pa Sam might need. By his right leg is his sling shot which with stones was used to keep birds away from the ripening rice. His trusty umbrella is to his left, and behind him is a heavy coat that he might use during the coldest of evenings during the dry season. To the far right of the picture is full grown rice nearing ready for harvesting. 
Circa December 1969. 
[posted April 19, 2013]

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Dancing with the Devil:  taken at the Mende village named Tokpombu in Nongowa Chiefdom in Kenema District. This village sat less than one mile from our house on the road to Dama Chiefdom to our south. It was the seat of a lot of Bondo activity in our area and as a result I was frequently there as an observer and visitor.  It was here that I had a village blacksmith make me two machetes. From this village was a bush trail that went to other local villages such as Vaama, and to the River Moa about 6 miles from our house.  For many a Bondo event I was notified by our neighbors, and Susan and I would head off to watch at Tokpombu. On this weekend we watched as the Bondo Devil or spirit came and proceeded to dance with a number of the women who were celebrating.I am told that Tokpombu, once a seperate village is now totally incorporated into Kenema.  circa. 1969 [posted April 21, 2013]

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Bondo gathering at the village of Tokpombu Nongowa

in this photo the Bondo Devil dances with a group of women villagers as others, including Susan, look on. Circa 1969
[posted April 22, 2013]

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Bondo at Tokpombu Nongowa

taken on the same day as the previous photo - these two photos (this one and the one previous) are two of my very favorite photos that I took during our years in Sierra Leone. Another favorite is also above - the portrait of Pa Sam that I took as he was sitting in his farm house. More to follow [posted April 26, 2013]

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This photo was taken in the remote Kuranko village of Sokurella, a village situated at the base of the Loma Mountains (and the summit Mt. Bintimani) in the northeastern section of Sierra Leone. It was taken in March 1970. It was in this village that I stayed on my yearly trek of Bintimani. I remember the people here were incredibly welcoming and hospitable, although I suspect that they were also somewhat amused at our interest in climbing. In March 1970 we got delayed in the village since my fellow traveller (fellow Peace Corps volunteer) was briefly not feeling well. In this photo the villager has picked the cotton and is carding it in preparation for making cotton thread for clothing. The heat in March could get well above 100ºF during the day, and sitting on the veranda was quite comfortable even with the heat. Up in Kuranko country the village houses tended to be round and with a rich palm-leafed roof.  [posted April 27, 2013]

The Best Website about Salia Koroma (still)

If you remember Salia Koroma - the poet and Mende troubadour of the 20th century then have a look at this wonderful site - and make sure that you listen to the wonderful posted music.

http://nikiibu.wordpress.com/

The analysis of Mr. Koroma (by Nikiibu) is fabulous.

I met Salia Koroma in late 1969 at his Kenema home. Revered all over Mendeline and especially in his Kenema home area, a Kenema friend had introduced me to him at his home. I knew of his singing in those days and had purchased several of his songs on 45 rpms. I had also expressed interest in a Mende masquerade (devil) known a Falwi after seeing it at the Kenema Agricultural Fair.  From time to time I would come across Falwi during holiday time and even once near the Kenema movie theater. Apparently Mr Koroma had some connection with this spirit and when we talked he suggested to me that he could find one for me.  He lived on the other side of Kenema from us a distance of several miles. I remember visiting him on a weekend at his house. He was outside when we arrived and we made mostly small talk during the visit. By then he was in his late sixties - traveled with a group of his followers and was highly respected. I think he was flattered that I knew of and liked his music, but wondered how much I understood of what he sang given that his songs were for the most part in deep Mende - a form of Mende that was complicated and at times even difficult to understand by native speakers. He did sing a few songs during the visit mainly to please the crowd that came to see him. 

taken on the day I visited Salia Koroma at his Kenema home (1969) he played a few of his songs for everyone who was around and let me take his picture
photo © by Chad Finer

Pa Joseph Simbo - cook for the Holy Rosary Sisters

Pa Joseph was probably in his late 50's when we met. Very loyal to the Catholic Mission sisters, he had  been in Burma with the West African Forces organized by the British during WW II. There he had been a staff cook and had learned how to cook for Europeans. On his return after the War he had been hired by the Holy Rosary sisters to cook for them - and this he did quite well. A soft spoken man - he did his work professionally and his meals were met with approval by the convent sisters who lived and worked on our school compound. In those days there were perhaps a half dozen sisters living in the convent. From time to time visiting sisters from elsewhere in the country would visit. Then of course there were the holidays in which special meals were prepared, and from time to time Susan and I would be invited. Pa Joseph and the sisters even helped us to celebrate our own (US) holidays such as Thanksgiving - at which time we would break bread with the sisters in the convent as they helped us to feel at home. 

photo © by Chad Finer

Here Pa Joseph Simbo (left in photo) - cook for the Catholic Mission convent in Kenema - buys some local fruit for a convent meal. In this picture is Susan talking to some young children and also Esther Kajue one of our TTC students. Location: #55 Dama Road in Kenema - taken in 1969. The man on the right was a visitor to the area probably from the north or from Guinea. The small "market" next to him on the veranda was owned by Pa Karankey - a man (Mandingo) originally from Guinea who had come to Kenema to live. I suspect that this man was visiting him. [click on picture to enlarge it]

Pa Joseph's meals were uncomplicated and usually consisted of meat (frequently lamb chops obtained at the 'cold storage' in Kenema Town), and fruit and vegetables - some of which might be purchased locally. He prepared 3 meals daily for them working from early morning to after sunset daily. A Mende man - I remember little about his family (he did have a wife and I think a young child). He lived off the convent grounds. He was generally a pleasant man of few words. My attempts from time to time to engage him in controversy were always met with deaf ears. His life was essentially serving the sisters and although other issues may have from time to time bothered him - he would never let on to me when issues effected him or bothered him. He was somewhat vain in that he saw to it that his greying hair never showed (he dyed it weekly). He dressed impeccably usually in an ironed white shirt and black trousers. For the most part the sisters treated him well and with respect. Several times they would chastise him for lapses in his performance but this rarely riled him. When I made a somewhat feeble attempt to organize school compound workers/laborers - he was unwilling to take part. Known as Pa Joseph Cook - Joseph Simbo was an integral part of the successful running of the Convent. A very pleasant man. 

Our Immediate Area

Most of our day was spent teaching at the Holy Rosary Secondary School and at the Kenema Teacher's Training College. In our free time we visited our neighbors both where we lived and in villages that were nearby.
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Kenema: the town where we lived; located in Nongowa Chiefdom of the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, it was the capitol of the Eastern Province and also the name of the district within the Eastern Province where Kenema Town was located. Kenema sat on the narrow railroad line that stretched from Freetown, about 220 miles to the west, to the village of Pendembu about 25 miles to our east.

Mende Ethnic Group: The Mende were one of about 15 ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. Located in the Eastern and Southern Province of Sierra Leone. We lived among the Mende, although Kenema itself tended to be a bit more diverse. In our neighborhood the Fula (Fulani) section chief Pa Maju Bah also lived. There were also folks from the Lokko group, but Mende was the dominant group.

Dama Road:  A road heading from Kenema Town to the Dama Chiefdom (about 20 miles). The southern route out of Kenema – it was on this road that we lived.

Nongowa Chiefdom: the chiefdom in the Kenema District or section of the Eastern Province where we lived.

Tokpombu Nongowa: the next village to us on Dama Road – it was here that I had the local blacksmith make two machetes for me (they were made from old car springs and handles from old car tires), and it was here that much Bondo activity took place.  A Mende village.

Bitema Nongowa: this quiet Mende village was about 3 or 4 miles south of Kenema on Dama Road. A small village of less than 10 huts, from time to time we would stop here to watch Bondo activity. It was here that some of my favorite photographs of Bondo  girls were taken. In Bitema Pa Koroma lived. The headman or chief of the village, he was a weaver of country cloth. He also amusingly teased me when I visited by mimicking English speech (he only spoke Mende). With me, he would pretend to be speaking English, and in fact it did sound like what English small talk despite the fact that it was all nonsense. All the elders had a great laugh (at my expense) the very first time we tried to talk to each other.

Gbenderoo Nongowa:  Another Mende village on Dama Road, Gbenderoo was located about 10 to 15 miles from our house. It was here that I knew a man who was thought to have religious (Muslim) training and magic abilities.  It was also here (also in Bitema) that I collected spools of country cotton thread.

Foindu Nongowa: a Mende village of about 20 huts, this was where Mama Hokey Kemoh came from, where she had a 2^nd home, and probably where most her her Bondo activity hailed from. Mama Hokey was head of the women’s Bondo Society in our area, and our mentor. She had another home in Kenema across from ours. From time to time we would visit Foindu, a quiet village about 1 or 2 miles off of Dama Road and about 4-6 miles from our house.

Limba Corner:  a very small village about 3 miles from our house along a bush road (trail) that passed from Tokpombu towards the Moa River to our west. This village was isolated and here members of the Limba ethnic group lived. The men tended to be either laborers (a very common area profession) or more likely tended to be palm wine dealers. They would climb palm trees, tap the trees for the sap, then allow it to ferment to palm wine, before carrying it to Kenema town to peddle. The wine had a strong yeasty taste.

Vaama Nongowa: a Mende farming village of about 10 huts near the Moa River and about 4 miles from our house. It was here that Pa Sam and his wife Massa lived. It was nearby here that they made a farm (rice, cassava) and from time to time I would visit. Deep in the bush – this remote village had everything including the farming, dugout canoe making, fishing (with nets), and a very small goat herd. 

Upcountry Holiday Season

Being upcountry in the 60's during holiday season was unique for us. Having grown up in a community where friends had Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and where even then we were all pounded by the commercial aspects of the holiday season - being in Kenema was worlds away in more ways then one. Sure, our Peace Corps assignment was with the missionary Holy Rosary Sisters and the Catholic Mission. In those days the sisters were mainly from Ireland and their overt Christmas festivities were muted in comparison to our American experience. Their Christmas was appropriately holy and religious. The few outward manifestations - their decorations were tasteful and appropriate. What I best remember was the lack of frenzy that my American Christian friends went through each holiday season.  In Kenema - Christians were certainly in the minority in those days. But the impact of the holiday season did not pass the Muslims and the animists by.  Just as in America Christmas (and New Years) were work holidays as well as religious holidays. The Christians went to their churches.  After church services a very intermittent and somewhat haphazard celebration would take place as we walked about either to visit our friends or to just get out.  Stores were closed. There was no mail. We might head to visit Peace Corps friends in Town and along the way we'd be met by various 'devils' out and about to celebrate the festivities. Routinely - these devils and their group of attendants, many with musical instruments and singing - would stop as we walked near them - sing some songs or aid the devil in its dance - and these short interludes in our walk would result in our 'dashing' the folks for their entertainment.  This might happen 3 or 4 times in our 2 mile walk.  The holiday season was at the height of the dry season. The air at this time was less humid, sometimes discolored by the Saharan wind known as the Harmattan - a wind from the north that was mixed at high levels with sand off the Sahara.    

Except for wearing their Sunday best for those who went to Church there was no holiday decorations and little outward signs of the holiday. There was certainly no snow and no cold.  So for us and for all our Peace Corps buddies - the holiday celebration was muted and quiet.  Mostly a day to perhaps go to church and to contemplate - all groups appreciated the chance to participate in their own way - even if they were not Christians.  I also remember New Years being a very similar muted experience. Another non-work day (the schools were out for the two week holidays) - I remember little in the way of outward celebrations. Yes perhaps a few 'devils' and their attendants might be out for the day, and there might be some singing - but for the most part the holiday season in Kenema was quiet. 

Politics

The 1960's in Sierra Leone was a period of intermittent political conflict between the two major political parties - The SLPP seemingly supported by the Mende and with strong support by the Kenema area where we lived - and the APC which was mainly supported by the Temne of the north and by other groups. We arrived in 1968 when Prime Minister Siaka Stevens and his APC was in power, and the SLPP in our area seemed to grumble about their plight.  For the most part the grumbling remained and undercurrent of trouble with only rare overt activity directed against the APC. I remember Siaka Stevens having Limba roots (I will leave it to Sierra Leone readers to correct me in this regard).  In Kenema there was one period of trouble when fighting erupted throughout Kenema and houses were burned, cars were also tippped over and set on fire, and government soldiers were met and attacked at a bridge on the western edge of the Kenema District. It was rumored that many soldiers disappeared. I had been downtown (in Kenema) at the Post Office just before all the 'palaba'  broke out in Kenema. It was at the post office that I was confronted by the Kenema postmaster who was horrified that I was in town, and without spilling the beans as to what was about to happen, advised me in no uncertain terms that I better get out of town and head home. I remember that this man who liked us and frequently made efforts to talk to us when we picked up our post, wanted me to get out of the area before the fighting started. I heeded his advice, although I remember being mystified by all his puzzling intensity. He would not tell me what was about to happen - but given his obvious worry - I headed back home, a distance of almost two miles. I told Susan about the postmaster. I think it was about a half hour after getting to our house that all hell broke loose downtown.  Soon there were people from Kenema heading by our Dama Road house and into the bush to get away from the fighting.  Fires broke out in town and from our plateau overlooking Kenema we could hear the fighting and see multiple areas of smoke and fire. Peace Corps Eastern Province director Jim Alrutz arrived in his Peace Corps jeep to let us know that we better stay in until further notice.  That night the fighting spread and at one time very late in the night the men's Poro Society passed by on Dama Road headed to town for heavens knows what.  We took Jim's advice and stayed indoors. We personally were never threatened, but our neighbors scattered to bush villages, and downtown the sounds of conflict echoed up the hill to where we lived. It was a week before things quieted down in town and the uprising by the SLPP in our area was over. 

A Wonderful Site about Sierra Leone

http://www.sierraleoneheritage.org/CI/

This site is very worthwhile looking through. The photos are excellent and the videos are fantastic and very educational.   Check out the site and see about life and culture in Sierra Leone

Mama Mabinty

photo © by Chad Finer

Mama Mabinty makes a wax print in her backyard on Dama Road in Kenema. Her helper is Holy Rosary secondary school student Aminata Lahai. Kenema TTC student Cecilia Jah is in the background.  Circa 1970

Mama Mabinty lived in our Dama Road neighborhood. It was in her backyard that she made tie-dyed cloth known as garrah cloth and she also made wax prints. A very cultured women who to my discomfort showed me undue respect - she toiled away making beautiful dyed and wax printed material that she mostly sold to Fula salesmen. About once a week I would pay her a visit as I returned from Kenema Town - and many times I would buy a few items that she had made.I never did ask her where she learned her trade, but given that she was part Mandingo (and part Mende) I suspect that she had learned this from her Mandingo roots since in those days the Mende were less likely to be involved in this tie-dye industry.Certainly in those days so called European materials were making great inroads but Sierra Leoneans were also proud of their garrah cloth - and would purchase what was called Lappas and then have them tailored into wonderful shirts for men, or what was called Lappas and dockets for women. Many times the tailors would additionally decorate these pieces with intricate embroidery patterns. These tie-died materials became very popular with the Peace Corps volunteers and many of us would regularly buy lappas and have them made into shirts and dresses. The dye used was traditionally indigo (blue) and kola (brown)and these made for wonderfully decorative patterns when the material was tied. The tightest areas would take up the dye less and become more light (or even white), while the loosely tied areas would absorb the dye most and become a rich dark blue color. The process took a couple of days and then after drying the material was sometimes beaten to bring out a wonderful satin-like sheen to it. The lappas themselves came from Europe and before being worked on were pure white. 

The Cotton Tree

The Cotton Tree at the Freetown round-about with the State House in the background
circa July 1968
photo © by Chad Finer

During the early years of its founding, Freetown, Sierra Leone became the haven for freed slaves and the Cotton Tree became  their gathering place for meetings and prayer.  In the background - the Sierra Leone State House is where the president of Sierra Leone resides. [Freetown, Sierra Leone] For one month we lived in Freetown on Pademba Road (#77) with our host family with Mrs. Lottie Nelson-Williams our host 'mother'

High We Exalt Thee

photo © by Chad Finer

Holy Rosary primary school students smile for the camera - that's Susan on the right. Photo was taken on the school compound where in those days there was a Teacher's Training College, the new Holy Rosary Secondary School, and a primary school

c. 1968

Every morning, during the school week, I listened to the primary school kids on our school compound sing their national anthem. Although it certainly was not a requirement, both Susan and I learned the words to the first verse and sometimes I’d sing along as I walked toward class. We both enjoyed the wonderful accented Sierra Leone English and sometimes, in a very positive imitation, I would try to mimic this in my own singing. It got so habit forming that eventually whenever I eventually sang this, the accent of these very young Kenema school children became imprinted in my mind – and I sang along with their accent. Here I am writing this brief piece some 44 years later – and I can sing the anthem and can hear these young kids in my mind – with their precious and wonderful accents. This was but one of the many songs that I heard them chant during my days at school. There were also many nursery rhymes that they recited - I remember the way they did these as well. On the HRSS school compound there were actually 3 schools – the Holy Rosary primary school, the new HRSS secondary school, and the Kenema Teacher’s Training College which was due to be fazed out in 1970 with its last class. We were involved at each level in some way.   

National Anthem

High we exalt thee, realm of the free;

Great is the love we have for thee;

Firmly united ever we stand,

Singing thy praise, O native land.

We raise up our hearts and our voices on high,

The hills and the valleys re-echo our cry;

Blessing and peace be ever thine own,

Land that we love, our Sierra Leone.

One with a faith that wisdom inspires,

One with a zeal that never tires;

Ever we seek to honour thy name

Ours is the labour, thine the fame.

We pray that no harm on thy children may fall,

That blessing and peace may descend on us all;

So may we serve thee ever alone,

Land that we love our Sierra Leone.

Knowledge and truth our forefathers spread,

Mighty the nations whom they led;

Mighty they made thee, so too may we

Show forth the good that is ever in thee.

We pledge our devotion, our strength and our might,

Thy cause to defend and to stand for thy right;

All that we have be ever thine own,

Land that we love our Sierra Leone.

Jobai

1.  
photo © by Chad Finer

Jobai was also a Mende men's spirit or masquerader and although its appearance was totally unlike Goboi (see earlier post) and its behavior was less animated and to some degree slow and I guess serene, its purpose was again probably group control at gatherings and important visits by dignitaries. By virtue of its collapse as demonstrated in this triptych, Jobai was amusing and made people laugh. As it passed along at events, it would begin to collapse eventually reaching a nearly flat stage. It was made of raffia and headed by a very fancy headdress of brightly colored yarn. It would show up from time to time in our area when important events were going on. Here I found it in Kenema during the Kenema Cacao Festival in December 1968. 

2. 

photo © by Chad Finer

3. 

photo © by Chad Finer

Goboi

photo © by Chad Finer

This men's secular spirit or masquerader was known in Mende country as Goboi. It seemed to come out and perform during celebrations such as during independence day or when dignitaries came to the area for visits. It was mainly a wild performer with somewhat frenzied dancing interspersed with a period of rest. Goboi had a number of attendants with it who both directed the dancing as well as danced with it.  Made of palm raffia and decorative headpiece of combined material including felt, the Goboi would perform for paramount chiefs and for politicians from Freetown, and also for anyone who might pass it by as it headed to celebrations. For a dance, you were expected to "dash" the Goboi with a shilling in order to both see it dance or after it had danced for you.  It seemed that this spirit's purpose was to amuse and entertain and in this way control large gatherings and keep them happy. I enjoyed how wild it seemed as it danced about and as its attendants guided it about. The attendants seemed to have fun and certainly those of us who watched it prance about were entertained. These photos were taken in Kenema Town in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone in December 1968.

photo © by Chad Finer

photo © by Chad Finer

Memories 42 Years Later

Taken in 1968 in Kenema at the HRSS Kenema school compound
photo by Susan Finer 

My Peace Corps memories are strange. The photographs that I took bring back so many thoughts about the at times intense years that we spent living and working in upcountry Sierra Leone. There were the weekday rituals involved with teaching at a new girl’s school in Kenema, this interspersed with the daily and usual interpersonal interactions that we had as we walked about our neighborhood and our town. Now, here it is some nearly 45 years from those days and many of the memories are still vivid. I can look at most of the pictures that I have posted and remember the very day that they were taken. I can almost remember the day of the week. I can definitely remember what the day was like when the picture was taken, what I was doing, how the picture came to be taken, and I can also remember specifics such as conversations, sayings, and many interactions that I had daily.  My neighborhood was what was known as the Dama Road section of Kenema. In those days this section of Kenema was “out of Town.”  I am told that it now has been enveloped in Kenema and that even the next village – Tokpombu – is now really part of Kenema. Kenema has expanded as pressures to urbanize have become great and as more and more people have moved in. Once a busy Town, Kenema’s population has easily doubled since we lived there. Certainly the War had something to do with this influx. But my memories are most vivid of the people I knew there – of our interactions. From travels with my friend Patrick, to wonderful advice and friendship from my friend Siaka (David) – the conversations are vivid and the memories everlasting. The Garlough family was perhaps our closest ties to local folks. Mama Sabina and her husband Pa Garlough took us on early in our days in Kenema, Mama Sabina providing us with ‘African chop’ and with friendship. Pa Garlough with advice. Then there was Elizabeth Garlough who came daily to get lessons in sewing and cooking from Susan, bringing her daughter Isetta with her. Occasionally Elizabeth’s sister Princess and her daughter Angela would also come along. Then there was Alfred – the teenager raised part-time in Freetown, and who , like young kids of his age anywhere was restless and a bit of a cowboy. Alfred was fun-loving, daring, and sometimes his behavior got him into hot water. He finished primary school while we were in Kenema and then went on to become a lorry boy for a while. I suspect that he went on to more important things after we left.  Patrick Garlough was about my age. Of all the Garlough family he was our closest friend. When I had questions about Mende society he would provide answers. When we walked in the bush, Patrick went along both to keep us from getting into trouble and to guide us. A portion of every day in Kenema was spent visiting. Patrick had finished primary school somewhere to our east (? Kailahun area) but when there was no money for secondary school, he moved to Kenema to live with his aunt and uncle (Mama Sabina and Pa Garlough). And when work was hard to come by I managed to get him work on our school compound as a laborer. He was a hard worker and a good friend.  As we traveled throughout the Kenema area he showed me objects of interest, introduced me to folks he knew on our road, showed me how local folks made items and taught me Mende. He had a secret quality to him – and this made for appropriate boundaries between us. He knew when to answer my questions, and he knew when to be evasive. Siaka David Kpaka came from the Pujehun area, had finished secondary school, and by the time I got to know him, he was a staff entomologist for The Forest Industries. I first met him in the mountains of the Northern Province where he was collecting insects and I was hiking. Our conversation led to the realization that we both lived in Kenema. On return to Kenema he got in touch with us and became a good friend. Friendly, Siaka possessed keen observations about his own life, about up-country life in general, about the Mende people, and to some degree about politics. Siaka introduced me to a number of Kenema folks including his wife Catherine Coker, and his friends Bankole Porter and teacher Andrew Zoker.  Traveling about on foot with Siaka was always a joy – he got along so well with people, he included me in his conversations, and made me feel at ease when we traveled about. Siaka somehow was able to come to the United States in the early 1970’s. Living in Brooklyn, and at first working as a night watchman while getting an education at CUNY, he eventually became an air condition engineer at a Manhattan hotel. In the 1980’s he became a U.S. citizen, this after seeing to it that his family was here in the States. His children all have been successful, all maintain their roots and connections. Siaka goes back periodically to Sierra Leone for holiday times. There was also Mama Hokey Kemoh who was a local Bundu leader and a very powerful woman in our area. Tall, to some degree regal in her being, she took us under her wing and when she was reassured that I was genuinely interested in Mende traditions she saw to it that when public Bundu activities were around us, that I was called to see them. Many a night was spent on her veranda listening to her and her Bundu women sing hauntingly beautiful traditional songs. A woman named Bonya lived in Mama Hokey’s home and some said she had the most beautiful singing voice in the area. Those nights – sitting on Mama Hokey’s veranda, listening to the beautiful Mende songs sung by women – the harmony was incredibly beautiful – the songs always led by Bonya with group responses by women who came by at night to sing – these nights stick with me as special and vivid. Here we were – far from our home – listening to song that was incredibly soothing. I will never forget these wonderful nights.

Public Transport

Lorry readying to go in Kenema  c. 1969
© by Chad Finer

Lorry Park in Kenema  c. 1969
© by Chad Finer

bridge repair on Kabala - Korobonla Road  March 1969
© by Chad Finer

view from the back of a lorry (public transport)  c. August 1968 taken as we headed from our last training at Njala to our post at HRSS in Kenema - © by Chad Finer

Lorry stop on the Makeni-Kabala road  -  March 1969 - good example of roof storage  and view of doorway to the back of the tranpsort - © by Chad Finer

these lorries were larger in size and used for transport of produce and also people - taken in March 1969 on the Makeni-Kabala road - in this picture is Peace Corps volunteer Skip Smith watching over a puzzling conversation between a soldier and people who were briefly taken off the transport.  Skip and I were headed to Kabala, a brief stop on our way to the Loma Mountains and a hike up Mt. Bintimani. - © by Chad Finer

Dusty, crowded, hot, noisy, packed, slow, inexpensive, at times dangerous - these are all descriptions of our travel in Sierra Leone by what was called public transport. Trips required a bit of planning. From arrival at the lorry park to find the transport headed to the town that you wanted to go to, to negotiating the fee with the lorry driver - these all took time. Negotiations via bartering with the driver was an enjoyable bit of negotiation - often amusing. As he drove about the park - his lorry boys - that is boys who helped load, and who were at the back and call of the driver - would shout out where they were headed. If you indicated an interest in where they were going then they stopped, would feign grabbing your pack while at the same time offering you an initial fee for the trip that was very high and very outlandish. Our job was then to either feign disinterest (in Krio: e tu deer) and offering a counter-fee of much less which might even be ridiculous in its own right. Negotiations would commence and eventually we would reach a price that was reasonable. Then our bags would be tied to the roof along with other baggage, an occasional goat or sheep, a cage of chickens, or produce. And we would be loaded in the back of the lorry along with some 15 or 20 other people all of whom would be headed along the road to the area that we were going. The back would be eventually quite crowded since the lorry would not head out until they were fully loaded with passengers. In the back there was a rail that sat above the rear frame and connected with the roof. Seating was on wooden benches that lined each side and also lined the front. In the central area of the rear might be loaded with additional belongings. We all were stuffed in like sardines and when the lorry driver felt that he had enough passengers off we would go. When the weather was dry the side canvas would be left up and this usually resulted in some very dusty travel. On a long trip the red latterite dust would coat your skin and leave you feeling somewhat sandy and dirty. On a hot day the breeze would feel good but stops and crowding made the heat nearly unbearable. On a rainy day the side canvas would be tied down but not prevent drips from the roof. Of course - an animal on the roof could make the back wet as well. 

Mama Hokey Kemoh

                         

Susan with Mama Hokey (right) and Mama Hawa (left) at Dama Road in Kenema Town - c. 1970
photo © by Chad Finer

                             

Bondo activity at the village of Foindu in Nongowa Chiefdom  c. 1969-70
photo © by Chad Finer

taken in the village of Foindu in Nonowa Chiefdom - Susan sits on a veranda (in blue). Mama Hokey stands to

Susan's right (polka dot shirt) - this was Mama Hokey's village about 6 miles from Kenema - of historical interest
there is a political poster on the window behind the devil that shows a picture of the late B.S. Massaquoi.
Mr. Massaquoi was murdered in Kenema (1998) during the recent ten year war - he was chariman of the Kenema
Town Council at the time - he had been an M.P. (Minister of Parliament) when we lived in Kenema - photo © by Chad Finer

Early in our days in Kenema we were befriended by a woman who lived across from us - a woman who it later turned out was the head of the local (Kenema area) Bondo or secret women's society. Although I never really knew her exact age - in those days she was probably in her late 40's. Regal in her behavior and presence, Mama Hokey commanded respect due to her position in the women's society. She was the leader who led the training of young women to be wives and to be mothers. She was responsible for calling the Bondo Society into action. She was in charge of the Bondo spirits (or devils - the icons of the Mende Bondo Society. Tall and stately - she spoke with authority, and when she spoke others listened. She feared no one, but others showed her utmost respect. To some degree she kept her history to herself. I did learn that she had a son who went off in the early 1960's to study in the United Kingdom. I was never to meet him - and she talked of him rarely. Mama Hokey never talked to me about her husband. Whether he had died, or was living elsewhere was never clear. She had lived briefly in Freetown in the 1950's. Given that we lived so close it became easy to pay her a visit and to sit and make small talk on a regular basis. She learned of my interest in learning about Mende ways and this was perhaps the most influential aspect of why we got along. Proud of her heritage, and incredibly knowledgeable, she saw to it that when there were public Bondo displays and activities in the area then I would be notified. And during the so called Bondo season there was an abundance of Bondo activity all around us, and in nearby villages. In her modesty she never let on (at least to me) her leadership position - but from my observations it became obvious that she was in charge. Correctly so I was never made privy to the secret activity of the society - this would have been blasphemy. But I was invited to observe the public activity including the numerous times that new initiates came out of the bush to parade about, the numerous times when Bondo women might be out and about doing their activities, and of course, the numerous times when the actual devil would be out in our area - parading about. Local villages nearby us such as Tokpombu, Bitema, Gbenderoo, and Foindu (all in Nongowa Chiefdom)were, in addition to Kenema Town (our neighborhood there) were the places that most of the activity directed by Mama Hokey seemed to be located. I'd grab my cameras and put them in my red travel bag that I had acquired, and head out hoping to capture a few images. One camera (Pentax H1a) held black and white film, and the other (Nikon FTn) held either color slide film (usually Agfa)or color negative film. The Nikon had a built in light meter that was helpful. The Pentax required a hand held light meter. 

So off I'd head - on foot out to one of the villages nearby with my red camera bag over my shoulder. For some reason - perhaps it was Mama Hokey's influence - folks let me into their villages and let me take pictures. To some degree it was because people knew that I often returned and gave people pictures of themselves. But, given that Mama Hokey was so influential - my guess is that she had spread the word that I might be coming by - with my camera - and that it was OK. So periodically I was notified and was lucky to be able to head to these villages, many times with my friend Patrick Garlough (he rented a room in Mama Hokey's house. In the villages the women were very kind to me. As they went about their public activities they were very willing to include me in the activities. When the traditional activities would be ongoing they would allow me to go about photographing what was going on . At times they would even stop and formally pose for me. When the devil would be parading about - its attendant would stop and allow me to get it and the attendant to pose. I never had any problems trying to document what was happening - and this allowed me to feel welcomed. Clearly, I was a remote figure in all that was going on about me - but I wanted to learn, I wanted to see what was allowable, and I felt a need to take pictures of the events surrounding us.  For me - these traditional Mende events were both beautiful and mysterious. And here I was - a foreigner and a white man - being given both the permission and the privilege of seeing it all. I was not unique - as there had been many others like me who for whatever reason had been able to learn of Mende ways firsthand. What I was was lucky enough to have been able to be there and learn. I was very fortunate.

Bockarie Su Gande - Master Mende Carver

Master Carver, Bockarie Su Gande, carves a game board called warri for me. A Bondo helmet mask that he is also
in the process of carving sits behind the pole. The picture was taken on Su Gande's back veranda in Kenema in
1969-70.  -  photo © by Chad Finer

From the village town near Panguma in Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Bockarie Su Gande settled on the east side of Kenema where he lived quietly and spent a good deal of his time either hunting for wood to use (he was a carver), or in carving. It was on his back veranda that he spent his hours carving Bondo Masks for area Bondo Society leaders. Self taught, his neighbors gave him space as he was thought to posses magical level powers. Somehow I learned about him - I do not remember from whom. Someone told me about his carvings and I paid him a visit to see if he would be willing to carve me - on commission - 3 Bondo masks. At first I remember him being a bit standoffish and distant. I am sure he was puzzled by my presence and my request. However, he agreed to carve me the 3 helmet masks and also to carve me (seen in this picture) a game called Warri - a game that was played with cowrie shells. Later on he carved me a sculpture of a man's spirit. I do not remember the costs for his work but I do remember that it was reasonable. A quiet man - whose Krio was limited (his language was Mende; he did not speak English), he and I did develop a limited friendship such that he allowed me to travel with him to his village to see the raw wood cut up into sections for the mask. I also traveled with him to his village to obtain a Nomoli or soapstone carving that had been found in his village and that he was willing to sell. Our conversations were limited yet his concern for my safety when we traveled to Panguma area was great. There was one time when a soldier, in hopes of intimidating me, put me in a bush cell jail with other men and Su Gande was in tears of concern that I was going to be harmed. After a few hours - I was released and his relief was almost palpable. So in the end Su Gande made me the 3 different Bondo masks, the game of Warri, and a statue of a men's devil. It was also with his help that I was able to obtain the Nomoli. 

Where are you now, Pa Sam?

Pa Sam at his farmhouse near Vaama Nongowa  c. 1969
photo © by Chad Finer

In the village of Vaama, a village about 4 to 6 miles from Kenema, Pa Sam and his wife Massa lived. He was friends and perhaps family of the Garloughs, a family that befriended us when we moved to Kenema in August 1968. Although a very generous man, he was more businesslike then friendly. It was at sometime in my first year in Kenema that our paths crossed. Massa made regular visits to Kenema to visit the Garloughs and to shop in Kenema. I best remember her for her wonderful smile and friendliness. Although she only spoke Mende (I was quite limited in my Mende conversation), we could communicate to some degree. I remember also that during Bondo activity she would play the segburre, a woman's instrument used to accompany song. Pa Sam, on the other hand, rarely came through town and was more likely to be out there in Vaama working on his farm. Diminutive, wiry, yet strong, he could work all day in the hot  sun and never seem to tire. His hands were weathered from all the farm labor. With cutlass in hand he would brush his farm in preparation for the planting of upland rice. On the hills by Vaama he would plant acres of rice, see to it that birds were driven from eating the ripening rice kernels, and when harvest time arrived, he and Massa would pick the rice, bag it, store some for their own use, and give the rest away to family and needy friends. There was a time when I went to help him as he prepared his farm for planting. I remember it because, unlike Pa Sam who had hands of leather, my hands were far from used to brushing with a cutlass. It was in the village of Tokpombu that I had commissioned a local blacksmith to make me two cutlasses. He crafted them out of car springs and made the handle out of car tires. My brushing skills were minimal, yet on that day Pa Sam and I worked side by side getting the land ready. However, I was to last a short time. My hand blistered terribly and though Pa Sam admirably labored the entire day, I had to give up as my hand became painful and useless. Much to his credit, he ignored my plight as I apologized for not being able to keep on. By mid-day I headed home to nurse my wounds. A lesson learned. 

I have my doubts that the village of Vaama, a tiny settlement of maybe ten houses, survived the war. And what of Pa Sam and his wife Massa?  Such noble folks, I wonder where they are now and whether they are alive. 

Massa plays the segburreh - taken on Dama Road in Kenema c. 1969 Massa was married to Pa Sam -
taken across the road from our house  -  photo © by Chad Finer

Rice on the Upland

An upland rice farm near Panguma - Lower Bambara Chiefdom c. 1970 Pictured here in the back is a typical 
upland farm house, and rice growing among stumps of trees and brush - a very typical farm in Mendeland.
photo © by Chad Finer

Rice was the staple food in Sierra Leone, and the upland rice grown there was very tasty. In comparison to the Carolina bleached white rice that most of us knew the Mende brown rice was meaty, tasty, and as we got used to the pepper - this became our staple as well. Rice was grown with the slash (cutting the brush with a machete) and burn (burn the areas where the rice was to be planted) method. During the end of the dry season the brushing of the farms took place and just before the rains the rice was broadcast planted. Although at first the farms appeared messy with remnant tree stumps interspersed with the growing rice, but we became used to this method of farming and its appearance. Farmers would built their shelters (farm houses) to get out of the sun and/or rain.  Here they might cook a late meal. In the farm house was stored a warm overcoat,  an umbrella, cooking utensils, tools for farming, or even a sling to drive birds.  Under the palm leaf roof a farmer might get out of the hot day and rest a bit. However, at the end of the day, the farmer would pack up and head home to the nearby village to sleep in his house. From early March until late September or October the rice, grown on the hills (the Mende did not like to work in the swamps) grew tall and green, and as the dry season began (November) the rice dried and was harvested by hand. It was a one time a year harvest. Despite the introduction of new types of rice that could be grown 2 or even 3 times a year, the Mende stuck to their traditional rice which was grown in sufficient amounts and in fact tasted much better. 

Diamonds

a small, raw diamond of industrial quality - this was shown to me as I traveled on the bush road from our house

 to the village of Vaama Nongowa  c. 1969 -  photo © by Chad Finer

There was much talk regarding diamonds and diamond mining during our days of training and before we received our assignments. We were told, or warned not to get involved in this enterprise. Diamond mining in Sierra Leone was surface or alluvial mining. The Diamond Corporation in those days had to some degree been nationalized, but this seemed to me to be in name only. The higher echelon seemed to be orchestrated by Europeans (white men)- some from Europe, and some from South Africa, which in those days still suffered from apartheid.  Warned not to buy or even dig for diamonds, we kept away from the frequent offers to buy them from the many illicit dealers in our area. It was common to be accosted by men in my travels who would try and sell me a diamond - I always refused.  I might be passing by on a remote bush trail when I would be passed by someone carrying diamonds. The usual scenario was as follows: as I crossed paths with one of these men he would stick out his tongue to reveal a number of diamonds that he carried in his mouth. When this happened at first I was not sure what was going on. Usually - a friend that I was traveling with let me know what I was being shown.  As I spent a lot of time trekking in our area - this became a common occurrence. Most of the concentration in diamond digging and mining took place to our east (Kenema District and Kono District). In these areas the mining was controlled partially by government soldiers, and mostly by Diamond Corporation security that to me seemed somewhat outside the law. These areas were controlled and required passes to be there if you did not live there. In all cases an identity card was required. However, these areas were vast and controlling who entered and left the area was challenging for the Corporation. Illicit diamond was rampant. Many of my treks in the bush passed by illicit miners in remote sections of the bush.  Alluvial or surface mining involved mainly a simple process of digging along the surface and then sifting the diggings trying to find a diamond. It was labor intensive. Many a village man abandoned their village life and headed to the diamond digging areas to seek their fortune. Very few succeeded. This translocation of men led to wild and lawless settlements in the diamond digging areas. Women, children, and the old were left in their villages to try and manage, while these illicit diamond diggers headed off. Many of the settlements - predominantly men who also left behind many of their village traditions in the process - were at times scary areas to be in. Periodically the government soldiers would drive off the illicit miners from the area, and these men would head to nearby towns like Kailahun or Kenema. Usually penniless and hungry, this influx of men would for a while result in the increase in petty crimes in the towns. What was clear was that the great lure of diamonds in these areas led to a dislocation of traditional values. Men, driven to find their fortune, left behind their wives, their parents, and their children. In these  areas they found lawlessness, crime, and lack of social structure.  Just as in the Gold Rush Days (in the US) these areas became boom towns and dangerous. I have written elsewhere about my occasional travels through these diamond areas.  In fact, one such trip left me detained in a bush jail for several hours by a soldier bent more on intimidation of me than anything else. As my Sierra Leone friend worried about my plight, I was more amused, knowing both that I was in the area legally and with a Peace Corps pass (ID). The soldier's purpose was to make me squirm a bit. When his superior came to the post - he asked, "What's the Peace Corps doing there?"  The soldier - unable to come up with an adequate response was chastised and I was released.   
Although this rich supply of diamonds in Sierra Leone had some potential to help the country's economy - most of the time it did not. Too many times this industry led to corruption of officials and to a smuggling undercurrent being driven by both the artificial pricing of diamonds in Europe and America which kept the value of diamonds and very high levels, and being driven by greed. This industry, which had great potential to support many in country ventures such as education and other infrastructure projects unfortunately was more likely to lead to men abandoning their villages and families, and heading off to find their fortunes in these wild areas where crime was rampant, where there was little in the way of social structures, and where less than a handful ever met with success. Many times these diamond digging areas turned into wastelands where lawlessness and chaos seemed more likely.   And who really benefited?  Those in power. Those across the seas in Europe and America. Europeans if you will. The average Sierra Leone citizen saw little if anything. And as the corruption became more prominent - greed became overwhelming. Diamond selling became a means by the few to become rich. It was diamonds that was later to become the means by which some could finance armaments that had never before been seen in Sierra Leone. Automatic weaponry financed by the blood diamonds snuck its way into the Sierra Leone persona and charismatic, quixotic, and evil men drove this charge, bent on control, drunk on power,and with their selling of  diamonds, able to finance the horror that became an 11 year battle to steal a country. They bought this sophisticated weaponry and handed it to a youth that was ready to be bad. They kidnapped children and made them (coerced them if you will) into child soldiers. They created camps where women were used as sex slaves - and this was all done as a war policy. And they made the children kill their own. These war crimes included the maiming and killing of its own citizens as a policy of horror and terror. This all had never been seen in Sierra Leone before. From 1991 to 2002 this horror - this civil war - sat down on a poor country. Folks left in droves to escape the killing and the maiming. As rebels and others roamed the country creating havoc, those who could ran away. For a decade there was little schooling. For ten years the social fabric of the country was in stress and challenge. And the scars of this horror - have left a disheartening memory on the psyche of this proud country. 

Pa Maju Bah - Al Hajji and Fula Section Chief - Kenema, Sierra Leone

Pa Maju Bah of Kenema was the Fula section chief. Photo taken  c. 1969 during Ramadan at Pa Maju's 
house on Dama Road. Fula musicians play typical Fula instruments, and wear typical traditional Fula 
clothing.  -  photo © by Chad Finer

Al Hajji Pa Maju Bah was the Fula section chief in the area of Kenema where we lived. A gentle and distinguished man, he was the prominent cattle dealer in Kenema Town, and the leader of all the Fula in the area. He lived modestly, had many visitors daily, had been on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and was disappointed in the United States trying to be God by traveling to and landing on the moon (1969). As he complained to me on one of my visits to his house, he was disappointed that, "Americans were trying to play God."  

Talent

Mama Mabinty makes wax prints. Aminata Lahai helps out.

Kenema Town  c. 1970

photo © by Chad Finer

Pa Foday Koroma, village chief and weaver of country cloth - Bitema Nongowa   c. 1969

                                                              photo © by Chad Finer

From my earliest days in Sierra Leone I was moved by the many talented people that I came in contact with. In our Freetown training in July 1968 we, as volunteers were treated to The Sierra Leone Dance Troupe on a special night when we all had finished our summer school there and were headed on to Njala for more language training and for training in agriculture. The Dance Troupe performance was spectacular - it was always so. That night at a Freetown hotel all the Sierra Leone tribes represented themselves well with inspiring song and dance, and with marvelous costumes. I was so very moved by what I saw. Upcountry was no less inspiring. In our neighborhood were wonderful singers, wonderful musicians, and wonderful craftspeople. Traditional singing dominated the area in those days, although certainly High Life was popular and could be heard at local bars (Jattu's Bar was a short distance away from our house we could hear High Life coming from their speakers). I loved all the music - but there were other talents. In our area Country Cloth was still being made. This labor intensive cotton textile, grown with the rice, harvested also with the rice harvest, and then cotton thread was made by the women, who dyed the thread various colors (blue, brown, and white or natural), before the weavers (always men in those days) would line their tripod looms and make the cotton cloth. Country Cloth was very valuable, but time and 'progress' was making it a rare commodity.   I found the Country Cloth unique.   In our area there were carvers who made everything from wooden carved fertility figures to helmet masks used by the iconic spirits of the secret women's society. The carvings were  incredibly artistic, abstract, and beautiful. There were also women in our area who made garrah cloth, wonderfully dyed tie-dyed material, or wax prints. These were sized as Lappas - roughly 3 feet by 6 feet in size. Talented tailors would them make this material into beautiful dresses and shirts. These were very popular with the Peace Corps Volunteers.