Book

The Mende of Sierra Leone

Routledge and Kegan PaulLondon • Published In 1951 • Pages: 307

By: Little, Kenneth Lindsay.

Abstract
This document is a functional treatment of the culture and social organization of the Mende people by a British social anthropologist. The interrelations of the kinship system, the organization of farming, the social cycle, marriage and friendship, the position of women, the role and function of the chief, religion and medicine, and the relation of the Mende with the Native Authority of the British, are all carefully drawn. The role of the secret societies, and in particular the Poro society, as the chief integrating force in native culture, is thoroughly explored. The appendices spell out the role of Islam in Mende life; the organization of the fish industry and its relation to the domestic trade economy; and the manufacture of the characteristic 'country cloths' of the society. Material relating to the British rule over the Mende has been treated from the Mende point of view, although several cross-reference slips will direct the researcher to information on the British role in Mende history.
Subjects
Cultural identity and pride
History
Family relationships
Gender status
Regulation of marriage
Sodalities
Infant care
Spirits and gods
Prayers and sacrifices
Community structure
Lineages
Diet
Extended families
culture
Mende
HRAF PubDate
2010
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Western Africa
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Social Anthropologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Leslie L. Clark ; 1958
Field Date
1945-1946
Coverage Date
1890-1950
Coverage Place
Sierra Leone
Notes
by K. L. Little
Includes bibliographical references (p. 292-295)
LCCN
52002296
LCSH
Mende (African people)