The Krahn and Sapo Tribes: Unity, Division, and Cultural Legacy

The Krahn and Sapo: A Shared Heritage and Post-War Division

The Krahn and Sapo tribes of southeastern Liberia share deep historical and cultural roots, with many elders and oral traditions considering them branches of the same ancestral group. Both groups have long resided in what is now Grand Gedeh County, with overlapping customs, languages, and kinship ties. Their unity stretches back to the pre-Liberian independence period, when they formed part of the Sahnpahn and Manpahn Confederacy—a coalition that played a key role in local governance and cultural preservation in the region.

Sapo Mask

One of the most enduring symbols of this shared heritage is the Sapo mask, an artifact predating Liberia’s formation as a republic. This mask, often associated with rituals of initiation and spiritual protection, embodies the tribes’ connection to their ancestors and traditional governance systems. For centuries, it has been central to ceremonies that unite families across both Krahn and Sapo communities, reinforcing their interconnectedness.


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. 
What would Africa have looked like if Europe hadn’t become a colonizing power? 

However, the outbreak of the Liberian Civil War (1989-2003) altered these dynamics. During the conflict, the Krahn people became targeted due to their perceived association with certain political factions, particularly under President Samuel Doe, himself of Krahn origin. As the war intensified and targeting escalated, the Krahn sought to distinguish themselves from the Sapo by emphasizing geographic separation—particularly their presence in southern Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties. This effort to distance themselves from the violence against Krahn civilians led to a shift in identity politics, marking a formal attempt to delineate the two groups more clearly.

Current Map Southeastern Liberia

Despite these wartime fractures, the cultural legacy of the Sapo mask and other shared traditions endures, symbolizing a time when both tribes were united under a common banner. Today, efforts to heal post-war divisions emphasize these cultural ties, offering a way forward toward reconciliation and unity.