Kabala, Sierra Leone
Encyclopedia
Koinadugu District
Koinadugu District Is a District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It is by far the largest District in Sierra Leone in geographical area. Its capital and largest city is Kabala, which is also one of the main cities in Northern Sierra Leone...
in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sierra Leone
The Northern Province is one of the four provincial divisions of Sierra Leone. It comprises five Districts and covers an area of 35,936 km² and with a population of 1,718,240 . Its administrative and economic center is Makeni...
of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, with a population of 14,108 in the 2004 census, and a current estimate of 18,770 http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gpro&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-6641&srt=npan&col=adhoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&geo=358504845 Kabala is one of the main cities in northern Sierra Leone and is set in a rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
landscape. The city lies about 80 miles north-east of Makeni
Makeni
Makeni is the largest city in the Nortern Province of Sierra Leone and the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone. The city is the capital of Bombali District and had a population of 80,840 in the 2004 census and a current estimate of 105,900...
, the largest city and economic center of northern Sierra Leone and about 185 miles east of Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
. The city is largely Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and the population is largely from the Mandingo
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
, Fula
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
and Kuranko
Kuranko people
The Kuranko, also known as the Koranko, are an ethnic group living in Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Koranko occupy a large section in mountainous region within northeastern Sierra Leone and southern Guinea . Within this geographical region, different dialects, as well as distinct social groupings...
ethnic groups.
History
After the Anglo-Franco settlement of 1895, the British colonial administration post was moved from FalabaFalaba
Falaba is a former town in the Solima area, Koinadugu District of the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The population of Falaba is largely from the Mandingo and Kuranko ethnic groups. The village is largely muslim.-History:...
to Kabala, then an insignificant village not shown on the detailed maps of the British. Kabala is a place name in the Limba language
Limba language
Limba is an erstwhile Atlantic language of Sierra Leone. It is not closely related to other languages and appears to form its own branch of Niger–Congo. The eastern variety, spoken primarily in Guinea, is quite distinct.-References:...
literally meaning 'at Bala' or 'Bala's place.' The Limba languages utilizes the prefix 'ka-' as a place identifier. Postmarks on King George VI postage stamps use the spelling Kaballa. The town incorporates two chiefdom centers: Gbawuria the center for the Limba chiefdom of Wara Wara Yagala and Yogomaia the center for the Koranko chiefdom of Sengbe. With respect to native governance, Kabala is split between the Limba and Koranko Paramount Chiefs. Kabala grew rapidly under British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule. Traders and merchants were attracted to this colonial administrative town from the 1930s, and, after 1947, shop premises were opened by Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
traders.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
reported that, after the Civil War
Sierra Leone Civil War
The Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
, "Kabala, in the north, life appears to be returning to normal following fighting". In 2002 newspapers reported a visit to the town by "Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
's visiting foreign minister", suggesting that the town had sufficiently recovered for it to be shown to important overseas visitors.
Media
Bintumani 93.5 is the local radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
that serves Kabala and the rest of Koinadugu District
Koinadugu District
Koinadugu District Is a District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It is by far the largest District in Sierra Leone in geographical area. Its capital and largest city is Kabala, which is also one of the main cities in Northern Sierra Leone...
. Sierra Leone's national radio and televesion stations, SLBS are on the air in the city, as well as The bbc world service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
, CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
, and several other private stations are on the air for those who have satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
.
Ethnicity
Kabala is an ethnically diverse city, with the MandingoMandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
being the largest ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
. Other ethnic groups in the city with significant population are the Kuranko
Kuranko people
The Kuranko, also known as the Koranko, are an ethnic group living in Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Koranko occupy a large section in mountainous region within northeastern Sierra Leone and southern Guinea . Within this geographical region, different dialects, as well as distinct social groupings...
, Limba
Limba people (Sierra Leone)
The Limba people is a major ethnic group in the Republic of Sierra Leone. They form the third largest ethnic group in the country, about 8.5% of Sierra Leone's total population ....
, Temne and Fula.
Education
There are government-recognised secondary schools, all of which have religious affiliations. There is a new IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic school, the Kabala Islamic Secondary School, which is as yet unrecognised.
Sport
Like the rest of Sierra Leone, football is by far the most popular sport in Kabala. The city major football team is the Bintumani ScorpionsBintumani Scorpions
The Bintumani Scorpions of Koinadugu is a Sierra Leonean football based in Kabala, Koinadugu District, Sierra Leone. The club is currently playing in the Sierra Leone National First Division, the second highest football league in Sierra Leone. It is one of the major football clubs in the Northern...
. The club currently playing in the Sierra Leone Nationwide First Division, the second highest football league in Sierra Leone.
Kabala Secondary School is the biggest and oldest Secondary School. It was founded by Catholic Missionaries.
Industries and infrastructure
The town is known for its cloth and tailoring, and especially for the making of the "ronko" gown, a traditional Limba and Koranko war shirt which is believed to have supernatural powers. There is no electricity other than individual generators. There are medical facilities, the government hospital and two clinics. There are a number of traditional circular hut settlements on the outskirts, but mostly the buildings are single-story tin & brick.The surrounding landscape is agriculturally rich, and there is seasonal rice-planting.
There is an 80-mile bus service from Makeni
Makeni
Makeni is the largest city in the Nortern Province of Sierra Leone and the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone. The city is the capital of Bombali District and had a population of 80,840 in the 2004 census and a current estimate of 105,900...
, but the surfaced highway peters out some 25 miles (40.2 km) from Kabala and forms a winding dirt track.
There is a Central Business District and roofed market, with large well-stocked Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
-run stores. The market serves as an unofficial social centre as well as a trading centre. There is a community bank which houses a branch of the Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
in the town.
Leisure
There is a cinema, which shows films. There is a traditional New Year's DayNew Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
on Gbawuria Hill to the west of the town.