Kono people
Encyclopedia
The Kono people is a major ethnic group
in Sierra Leone
at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland
is the diamond-rich Kono District
in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population. The Kono are primarily diamond
miners.
The Kono people speak the Kono language
as their first language and is the most widely spoken language in many parts of Kono District. Many youth from the Kono ethnic group use the Krio language
as the primary language of communication with other Sierra Leonean ethnic groups. Unlike many other Sierra Leonean ethnic groups, the Kono people rarely travel outside eastern Sierra leone, as a result only few Konos are found in the capital Freetown
and in northern Sierra Leone.
and Guinea
. Over three hundred years ago, the Kono immigrated to Sierra Leone as peaceful hunters. The tribe was split during partitioning of Africa by European colonists and part of the tribe still exists in neighbouring Guinea
Attacks from the related Mende people
forced the Kono to seek refuge
in the Koranko
territory to the north, where they were allowed to farm
the land. The Mende eventually moved further south, and the Kono returned to their own land in the south-east.
The size of rural Kono villages varies from several houses to nearly one hundred dwellings. Kono houses were at one time round constructions made of mud, clay, and thatch. Although some of these houses still exist today, those recently built are rectangular and made of adobe blocks. The rectangular houses have verandas where the women cook and others can enjoy the shade.
After sunset, in the open compounds (courtyards) of the villages, the entire village may sing. The people dance in a single file circle to the beat of drums. Each person develops his own individual steps and movements in an attempt to stand out in the crowd.
The Kono year is divided into a rainy season and a dry season
. The rainy season is a time for farming. Families leave their homes early in the morning, walk to their farms,or mining site and return home at dusk. Cooking, bathing, and other household chores are done at the farms by most of the women, while the men and other women perform the agricultural or mining tasks.
After the rice harvest, the heavy agricultural work is finished, giving way to the dry season. Most people remain in town every day during the dry season since many social events take place at that time of year. During this period, young boys are initiated into the Poro society, and young girls, into the Bondo or Sande society
. These societies teach youth the Kono culture and habits. Training for these organisations bridges the gap between childhood and adult life.
The dry season is also a time when much courting and many marriages take place. A man's wealth used to be determined by the number of wives he could support. Most men had more than one wife, and those men with many wives were shown the greatest respect and honour. Nowadays most men have only one wife. Also during the dry season, women organise fishing expeditions and older men may be found outdoors weaving.
or Christianity
. Some practise traditional religion as well. Konos invoke and pray to their ancestors and other spirits for protection, health, guidance and good fortune. They believe the ancestors are present during every activity, including eating, sleeping, and important events. Some Kono are also superstitious and use curses, omens, charms, and magic in their daily lives.
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...
in 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...
at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland
Homeland
A homeland is the concept of the place to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with —the country in which a particular national identity began. As a common noun, it simply connotes the country of one's origin...
is the diamond-rich Kono District
Kono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population. The Kono are primarily diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
miners.
The Kono people speak the Kono language
Kono language
The Kono language is a language spoken in Sierra Leone by the Kono people. The Kono District is situated in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone and contains 14 chiefdoms, each headed by a Paramount Chief...
as their first language and is the most widely spoken language in many parts of Kono District. Many youth from the Kono ethnic group use the Krio language
Krio language
Sierra Leone Krio is the lingua franca and the de facto national language spoken throughout the West African nation of Sierra Leone. Krio is spoken by 97% of Sierra Leone's population and unites the different ethnic groups in the country, especially in their trade and social interaction with each...
as the primary language of communication with other Sierra Leonean ethnic groups. Unlike many other Sierra Leonean ethnic groups, the Kono people rarely travel outside eastern Sierra leone, as a result only few Konos are found in the capital 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...
and in northern Sierra Leone.
History
The Kono people are the descendants of Guinean migrants who move to Sierra Leone and settle in what is now Kono District in the mid 19th century to escape the harsh conditions in Guinea. Kono history claims that the Kono were once a powerful people in MaliMali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
and Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. Over three hundred years ago, the Kono immigrated to Sierra Leone as peaceful hunters. The tribe was split during partitioning of Africa by European colonists and part of the tribe still exists in neighbouring Guinea
Attacks from the related Mende people
Mende people
The Mende people are one of the two largest and most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, along with the Temne. The Mende make up 30% of Sierra Leone's total population or 1,932,015 members...
forced the Kono to seek refuge
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
in the Koranko
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...
territory to the north, where they were allowed to farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
the land. The Mende eventually moved further south, and the Kono returned to their own land in the south-east.
Economy and culture
The Kono are primarily farmers and in some areas, alluvial diamond miners. They grow rice, cassava, corn, and beans as their main crops. They live in towns and villages and travel daily to their surrounding farm lands to work. They are a polite and hospitable people and even allow strangers to lodge with them or their chiefs.The size of rural Kono villages varies from several houses to nearly one hundred dwellings. Kono houses were at one time round constructions made of mud, clay, and thatch. Although some of these houses still exist today, those recently built are rectangular and made of adobe blocks. The rectangular houses have verandas where the women cook and others can enjoy the shade.
After sunset, in the open compounds (courtyards) of the villages, the entire village may sing. The people dance in a single file circle to the beat of drums. Each person develops his own individual steps and movements in an attempt to stand out in the crowd.
The Kono year is divided into a rainy season and a dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
. The rainy season is a time for farming. Families leave their homes early in the morning, walk to their farms,or mining site and return home at dusk. Cooking, bathing, and other household chores are done at the farms by most of the women, while the men and other women perform the agricultural or mining tasks.
After the rice harvest, the heavy agricultural work is finished, giving way to the dry season. Most people remain in town every day during the dry season since many social events take place at that time of year. During this period, young boys are initiated into the Poro society, and young girls, into the Bondo or Sande society
Sande society
Sande, also known as zadεgi, bundu, bundo and bondo, is a women's association found in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea that initiates girls into adulthood, confers fertility, instills notions of morality and proper sexual comportment, and maintains an interest in the well-being of its members...
. These societies teach youth the Kono culture and habits. Training for these organisations bridges the gap between childhood and adult life.
The dry season is also a time when much courting and many marriages take place. A man's wealth used to be determined by the number of wives he could support. Most men had more than one wife, and those men with many wives were shown the greatest respect and honour. Nowadays most men have only one wife. Also during the dry season, women organise fishing expeditions and older men may be found outdoors weaving.
Religious and spiritual beliefs
Most Konos practice IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
or Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Some practise traditional religion as well. Konos invoke and pray to their ancestors and other spirits for protection, health, guidance and good fortune. They believe the ancestors are present during every activity, including eating, sleeping, and important events. Some Kono are also superstitious and use curses, omens, charms, and magic in their daily lives.
Notable Kono people
- Foamansa MatturiFoamansa MatturiFoamansa Matturi was a Sierra Leonean ruler who led his fellow Kono people in fighting abilities and a diplomacy that helped bring stability to Kono District, a region that was continually the target of invasions from both its Sierra Leonean neighbours and Samori Toure's Mandinka warriors from...
, Sierra Leonean ruler and military strategist during colonial era - Samuel Sam-SumanaSamuel Sam-SumanaAlhaji Sahr Samuel Sam-Sumana is a Sierra Leonean politician, and the current Vice President of Sierra Leone...
, current vice-president of Sierra Leone - Sahr Randolf Fillie-FaboeSahr Randolf Fillie-FaboeSahr Randolf Fillie-Faboe is a Sierra Leonean politician and diplomat. He is a former Sierra Leone's Ambassador to Liberia and a former member of parliament of Sierra Leone....
, former Sierra Leone's Ambassador to Liberia and former member of parliament - Sia Nyama KoromaSia KoromaSia Nyama Koroma is a Sierra Leonean biochemist and psychiatric nurse. She is the wife of Sierra Leone's president Ernest Bai Koroma and the daughter of former Sierra Leone's attorney general Abu Aiah Koroma...
, Sierra Leone's first lady and wife of President Ernest Bai Koroma - Samuel Komba KamboSamuel Komba KamboSamuel Komba Kambo Is a retired captain in the The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Kambo was one of six young soldiers in the Sierra Leonean Army that ousted president Joseph Saidu Momoh and the All People's Congress government on April 29, 1992...
, a retired captain in The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and one of the leading members of the NPRC junta administration - Queen Da BossQueen Da BossRenate Sia Boss better known by her stage name Queen Da Boss is a Sierra Leone rapper singer songwriter and actress, known for her mixture of hip hop and Roots reggae with lyrics in English and the Krio language...
(born as Renate Sia Boss), Sierra Leonean rapper and songwriter - Tamba Songu M'briwaTamba Songu M'briwaTamba Songu M'briwa wa a prominent Sierra Leonean politician and paramount chief from the Kono ethnic group, who formed one of the few political parties in Sierra Leone before independence.-Early life and political career:...
, prominent Sierra Leonean politician and former paramount chief of Kono District - Sahr John Yambasu, Kono District Council Chairman
- Peter VandyPeter VandyPeter Vandy is a politician in Sierra Leone. He is a member of the Revolutionary United Front and ran alongside Pallo Bangura in the 2002 Presidential election. He is a former government Minister of Lands and Environment and was detained alongside other government ministers Pallo Bangura and Mike...
, former Sierra Leone's Minister of Lands and the Environment - Alex Tamba BrimaAlex Tamba BrimaAlex Tamba Brima is a former Sierra Leonean military commander. He was one of a group of seventeen soldiers in the Sierra Leone Armed Forces who called themselves Armed Forces Revolutionary Council that succefully stage a coup that ousted president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in May 1997...
, former commander of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces - Sahr SenesieSahr SenesieSahr Senesie is a German footballer of Sierra Leonean descent who plays for Wacker Burghausen.-Biography:...
, Sierra Leonean football star playing in Germany - Solomon YambassuSolomon YambassuSolomon Yambassu is a Sierra Leonean footballer, who plays for East End Lions in Sierra Leone National Premier League.-Early life:...
, football star - Sahr Ermaco Johnny, former Sierra Leone ambassador to China
- Komba Claudius GbamanjaKomba Claudius GbamanjaKomba Claudius Gbamanja is a Sierra Leonean politician from the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party, who is currently a member of parliament of Sierra Leone representing the Kono District. He is a member of the Kono ethnic group.-External links:...
, member of parliament of Sierra Leone representing Kono District - Komba YombaKomba YombaKomba Tawa Yomba widely known as Keeper Towa is a Sierra Leonean international football goalkeeper. He is the captain of the Diamond Stars in the Sierra Leone National Premier League. He is rated as one of the best Sierra Leonean goalkeepers of all time...
, Sierra Leonean football star - Komba Eric KoedoyomaKomba Eric KoedoyomaKomba Eric Koedoyoma is a Sierra Leonean politician with the Sierra Leone People's Party. Koedoyoma is currently a member of parliament representing his hometown of Kono District.-External links:* http://www.slpp.ws/browse.asp?page=426...
, member of Sierra Leone's parliament representing Kono District - Tamba KaingbanjaTamba KaingbanjaTamba E. Kaingbanja is a Sierra Leonean politician from the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party , currently a member of parliament of Sierra Leone representing the Kono District. Kaingbaja is from the Kono ethnic group.-External links:...
, member of parliament of Sierra Leone representing the Kono District - Abu Mbawa KongobahAbu Mbawa KongobahParamount Chief Abu Mbawa Kongobah is a Sierra Leonean politician. He is a member of the Pan-African Parliament and the Paramount Chief from Kono District. In the Pan-African Parliament, he is in the Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment.-References:...
, current Paramount Chief of Kono District - Yussuf SindehYussuf SindehYussuf Iche Sindeh is a Sierra Leone footballer who last played for FAS in El Salvador. He started his career playing for Ports Authority in his native country of Sierra Leone.-External links:*...
, Sierra Leonean football star