Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Former insurance broker Ernest Bai Koroma won a second - and, according to the consti-
tution, final - term in power in November 2012, with 59% of the votes cast. The poll, Si-
erra Leone's second since the post-conflict period began, passed largely without violence
and was hailed as a marker of the peaceful postwar era. The country now has one of the
fastest-growing economies in Africa, and the ongoing boost and interest in tourism is
likely to continue to drive that.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Culture
The two largest of the 18 tribal groups, the Temnes of the north and Mendes of the south,
each make up about one-third of the population. Krios, mostly living in Freetown, consti-
tute about 1.5% of the population but a large percentage of the professional class.
About 75% of Sierra Leoneans are Muslim; most of the remaining are Christian, who
live in the south. Sierra Leoneans are very tolerant and mixed marriages are common.
The Mendes and Temnes operate a system of secret societies responsible for maintain-
ing culture and tradition. For example, if you see young girls with their faces painted
white, you'll know that they're in the process of being initiated. They wear coloured
beads when they have finished.
When Sierra Leoneans get together, talk always seems to turn to politics, development
and corruption. The war did much to foster nationalism (everyone suffered together), but
the elections showed that a significant north-south, Temne-Mende divide remains and it
has become natural for the political parties to exploit it. Some people worry about how
this will play out in coming years.
Handicrafts
Sierra Leone is known for its fabrics, especially country cloth, a coarse, naturally dyed
cotton material, and
gara,
a thin tie-dyed or batik-printed sheet. Distinctive Temne bas-
ketry also makes a good souvenir.
Books
For a classic, there's Graham Greene's colonial-era
The Heart of the Matter,
set in Free-
town. Aminatta Forna's
The Memory of Love
is a thrilling, poignant take on the effect of
the conflict in Sierra Leone.
