Temne people

The Temne ( different spelling Timmene ) are an ethnic group in the West African state of Sierra Leone. With a share of 30 % and 1.6 million people put them together with the Mende ( also about 30%) a majority of the population of the country. Their settlements lie on Rokel River in northwestern Sierra Leone.

History

The Temne immigrants in the late 15th or early 16th century in its present territory and played probably the time of the empires of Mali and Songhai an important role in long-distance trade in kola nuts. The term kola nut should originate from the corresponding Temne - word -kola.

The Temne hammered in trade with the Portuguese on the coast.

1898 led the Temne, led by Bai Bureh, an uprising ( Mende - Temne war ) against taxation by the British colonial power, where they also against the - overcame Creoles and Mende - the British closer standing.

Culture

Today, the Temne are mainly rice farmers, fishermen and sea merchants. Most are Muslims, and they have, however, retained elements of traditional animistic religions. There are secret societies that Poro is the one for men and the Bondo that for women. The most important rituals of the Temne are the coronations or funerals of chiefs and the initiation of new secret society members.

In some Sierraleonern from other ethnic groups are the Temne as aggressive, partly because they waged war against neighboring peoples earlier.

Swell

  • Ethnicity in Africa
  • Ethnic group in Sierra Leone
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