Enhancing Development in Liberia

“The failure to integrate indigenous knowledge into the Western educational system adopted in Liberia denies Liberians a potentially expansive knowledge base for solving problems. Indigenous methods of child rearing and socialization, for example, are not sufficiently informing academic studies and training programs relevant to nurturing children; nor has the study of indigenous institutions of governance been incorporated into the study of political science or public administration. As a result, the impact of indigenous patterns of authority relations on the nurturing of children as citizens is hardly ever considered as part of the intellectual inquiry of institutions of learning. The fact that the very concept of citizenship varies from ethnic community to ethnic community has implications for the conception of Liberian citizenship generally. These have not been fully explored. Thus, there is a compelling need to provide a more organized and systematic explanation of local knowledge and practices and to incorporate these into the framework of an appropriate educational and training program if the educational system of Liberia is to serve as an effective agent in nurturing citizens and generating knowledge to enhance development.”

Excerpt from “Beyond Plunder” by Dr. Amos C. Sawyer

Interim President of the Republic of Liberia

Camarilla Masktape Volume II

Gúlá Má Sálè

Gúlá Má Sálè
Follow this Masktape as it delves into development with the Camarilla Mask™ curator Tékpwfárí Stix El Rá. Consider the changes happening internationally as well as within the Afrotropical region concerning West African Mask most expecially from Liberia and Sierra Leone, respectively.

Research Materials provided by the

aaro.mil
Kofi Annan Foundation
Star and Shield Clothing
Tim Butcher Podcast
University of Liberia.
Encyclopedia of the 16 Tribes®

Alkebu-lan: If Africa Was Never Colonized By Europe

The map – upside down, to skew our traditional eurocentric point of view – shows an Africa dominated by Islamic states, and native kingdoms and federations. All have at least some basis in history, linguistics or ethnography. None of their borders is concurrent with any of the straight lines imposed on the continent by European powers, during the 1884-85 Berlin Conference and in the subsequent Scramble for Africa. By 1914, Europeans controlled 90% of Africa’s land mass. Only the Abyssinian Empire (modern-day Ethiopia) and Liberia (founded in 1847 as a haven for freed African-American slaves) remained independent.

Alkebu-lan: If Africa Was Never Colonized By Europe

Afrotropical CLEAN COUGH SYRUP Recipe!

Almost all cough syrups at the grocery store are full of artificial of refined sugars, preservatives, and dyes. with lots of sickness on the rise right now and it being winter, this is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich concoction that can help alleviate coughs with real ingredients! ⠀

What you’ll need:

-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper ⠀
-1/2 tsp. grated ginger ⠀
-1/2 tsp. cinnamon ⠀
-3 tbsp. raw honey ⠀
-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar ⠀
-3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice ⠀
-1/2 cup water ⠀

Instructions:

1. Grate the ginger ⠀
2. Add all of the ingredients into a 12 oz. glass jar, seal it and shake it to mix together well. ⠀
3. Store the jar in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed container. ⠀
4. Take 1 tsp. at a time and repeat every couple of hours! ⠀

Sarpo Tribe Drags CBL To Court For Recognition

The Civil Law Court’s Resident Judge, Kennedy Peabody, has summoned the Central Bank of Liberia’s Governor, Aloysius Tarlue, to appear September 2, on a charge levied through a lawsuit against the bank.

The lawsuit was brought against the bank on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, for “declaratory judgment” by the Sarpo tribe, regarding a particular specification lacking on the LD$1,000 bank notes

According to the tribal people, the bank did not insert the cultural masks that represent the tribe on the LD$1,000 banknote, as was done with other tribes of Liberia.

According to the Sarpo people, the bank allegedly failed to recognize the tribe as one of the 16 recognized tribes by their cultural mask adorned on the Liberian Dollar bank.

In the writ issued, the court commanded the sheriff of Montserrado County, his or her deputy stating, “You are hereby commanded to summon the above named defendant(s) or respondent(s) in the above captioned case to appear before the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court for Montserrado County, sitting in its June term A.D 2023, on the third Monday in June, A.D 2023, at the hour of 10: A.M., to answer to the complaint or petition of the above named plaintiff (s) or petitioner (s); that upon his, her, or their failure, judgment by default will be rendered against him, her, or them.”

It continued: “You are further commanded to notify the said defendant(s) or respondent(s) to file his, her, or their formal appearance and or answer in my office on or before the second day of September, A.D. 2023.

The writ was received and signed by Doris M. Dweh, the Executive Secretary to the governor on Wednesday, August 23.  The 12- count writ was prayed for against the bank by the petitioners, through their legal interest, the Gongloe and Associates Incorporated in Monrovia.

In their petition, the Sarpo tribe, which is the second largest, next to the Kru tribe in Sinoe County, said that the bank was fully aware and had reason to know that the Sarpo tribe is one of the tribes in Liberia, prior to the printing of the new LD$1,000 bank note.

Quoting the 2008 population census, Liberia has 16 tribes and Sarpo people constitute 1.2 percent of the population, which is the latest tribe that has been added in acknowledgement to this fact. Furthermore, the government, through the Ministry of Education, has revised and updated its history and civic curriculum, with the Sarpo tribe now added as one of the tribes of Liberia.

Historicizing, the petitioners say three separate maps of Liberia, drawn in 1937, 1849, and 1862, recorded the Sarpo as a tribe in Liberia.

Additionally, Professor Willie Shultz, author of The New Geography of Liberia, published in 1973 and approved to be taught in all Liberian schools, also mentioned in his book that Krahn, Grebo, and Sarpo tribes crossed the Sassandra River in Ivory Coast to settle in present day Liberia.

The petitioners request the court to rule and declare that they as citizens, or a tribal group of Liberia, have the right to be recognized, just as the other sixteen tribes are recognized, and their cultural masks are adorned on the LD$1,000 bank note.

The Sarpo tribe is found in over 6 sections in Sinoe County, and is accounting for 1.3 percent of the country’s present population of 5.2 million, a result of the recently held National Population and Housing Census (NPHC).

Their petition is supported by a resolution from the tribal group with these submitting signatories of Kpanyoun Philip Wakocco as Chairperson; Siah C. Chen as Secretary, and approved by George Garteh, National Chairman of the Sarpo Appoliebo Development Organization (SADO), and Governor, Theresa Wylie.

And also those who signed for the respective section of the county were Joe S. Nyenpan as Chairman of Wedjah; Polaty Polson as Chairman of Juarzon; Philip S. Doe as Chairman of Seekon; Milton Jargbah as Chairman of Putu; Robert Kumorteh as Chairman of Numopoh; and Quiah S. Wylie as Chairman of Carbadae, all for the Monrovia based community.

While for the Sarpo youth based in Monrovia and its surroundings or environs, those who signed were Robert C. Toteh of Seekon; Linda Quiah of Numopoh; Emmanuel Tugbah of Juarzon; Prince Teiah of Wedjah; Emmerson Saydee of Carbadae; and Darius Lewis.

Kúsì-ɓòɖòɔ̀ Báɓò presented in Afrotropical Bassa from the Star & Shield Clothing Archives

“Yei dà bɛ̀ ka dà, nyaa me!” Masktape

“Yei dà bɛ̀ ka dà, nyaa me!”

(Translation: “In the bush, money is hidden, not lost.”)
“Yei dà bɛ̀ ka dà, nyaa me!” (Translation: “In the bush, money is hidden, not lost.”) Meaning: Wealth may not always be visible or easily accessible, but it can be found or acquired with effort and resourcefulness.

#talismansofelra

The 42 Laws of Maat & the Sassywood Ordeal

Judgement Scene from Ancient Egypt

The 42 Laws of Maat and the sassywood ordeal are both ancient African traditions that were used to determine guilt or innocence. The 42 Laws of Maat were a set of moral principles that were believed to be the foundation of a just and orderly society. The sassywood ordeal was a ritual in which a person was forced to drink a potion made from the sassywood tree. If the person was innocent, they would not be harmed by the potion. However, if the person was guilty, they would die.

Both the 42 Laws of Maat and the sassywood ordeal were based on the belief that there is a moral order in the universe and that people can be held accountable for their actions. They also both emphasized the importance of truth and justice.

Trial by Ordeal

However, there are also some important differences between the two traditions. The 42 Laws of Maat were a set of moral principles that were used to guide people’s lives. The sassywood ordeal, on the other hand, was a ritual that was used to determine guilt or innocence. The 42 Laws of Maat were also more complex than the sassywood ordeal. They consisted of a long list of specific moral principles, while the sassywood ordeal was a more general test of innocence.

Despite their differences, the 42 Laws of Maat and the sassywood ordeal are both important examples of African moral traditions. They demonstrate the importance of truth, justice, and compassion in African cultures.

The Seven Afrotropical Seals

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