Loko people
Encyclopedia
The Loko are one of the indigenous ethnic group
s in Sierra Leone
. They speak a Mande
language that is also called Loko
. The majority of the Loko people live in or around the capital city of Freetown
and in the Northern Province
of the country, particularly in Port Loko District
. The Loko were among the slaves shipped to North America
while slavery still existed. The Loko were one of the largest ethnic group in Sierra Leone during the colonial era, but their population has declined since then. The decline of their population is primarily due lack of native speakers, as many Loko children use the Temne
and Krio language
and those in the south use the Mende language
in place of their local language.
s. Rice, the staple crop, is grown both in the swamp
s and on the hillsides. Other important crops include manioc, corn, potatoes, peppers, and bananas. In addition, house gardens supply other vegetables, fruits, and nuts for each family.
Oil palm
s flourish in this region of Sierra Leone. The trunks, branches, palms, nuts, and sap of these trees are all used and highly treasured. Soap, wax, wine, oil, and baskets are just some of the items produced from the palms.
The Loko are divided into nine districts, with each being ruled by a chief. Each village in the district is ruled by a headman, who answers to the chief. The Loko are a family-oriented people, and a village is generally made up of a family lineage. The Loko are also said to be open-minded, cooperative, and open to outside influences.
Loko society is basically patrilineal, which means that they trace their lineage through the males. Polygyny
(having more than one wife) is practiced by many of the men. Before a Loko man marries, he must first pay a bride-price to the girl's parents.
The Loko are engaged in several crafts, such as basketry, cabinet making, and net making. In addition, they participate in many important ritual festivities and ceremonies throughout the year. Much dancing accompanies these events.
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...
s 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...
. They speak a Mande
Mande languages
The Mande languages are spoken in several countries in West Africa by the Mandé people and include Mandinka, Soninke, Bambara, Bissa, Dioula, Kagoro, Bozo, Mende, Susu, Yacouba, Vai, and Ligbi...
language that is also called Loko
Loko language
The Loko language is a Mande language spoken in Sierra Leone by the Loko people, who live primarily in the Northern Province.-External links:* from Ethnologue...
. The majority of the Loko people live in or around the capital city 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...
and 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 the country, particularly in Port Loko District
Port Loko District
Port Loko District is the most populous district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 489,488 Its capital is Port Loko and the largest city is Lunsar...
. The Loko were among the slaves shipped to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
while slavery still existed. The Loko were one of the largest ethnic group in Sierra Leone during the colonial era, but their population has declined since then. The decline of their population is primarily due lack of native speakers, as many Loko children use the Temne
Temne language
Temne is a language of the Atlantic subfamily of Niger–Congo languages spoken in Sierra Leone by about 2 million first speakers. One of the country's most widely spoken languages, it is spoken by 30% of the country’s population...
and 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...
and those in the south use the Mende language
Mende language
Mende is a major language of Sierra Leone, with some speakers in neighboring Liberia. It is spoken by the Mende people and by other ethnic groups as a regional lingua franca in southern Sierra Leone....
in place of their local language.
Economy of Sierra Leone
The economy of Sierra Leone is based primarily on agriculture and mining. Like most of the tribes in West Africa, the Loko are primarily farmerFarmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s. Rice, the staple crop, is grown both in the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s and on the hillsides. Other important crops include manioc, corn, potatoes, peppers, and bananas. In addition, house gardens supply other vegetables, fruits, and nuts for each family.
Oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
s flourish in this region of Sierra Leone. The trunks, branches, palms, nuts, and sap of these trees are all used and highly treasured. Soap, wax, wine, oil, and baskets are just some of the items produced from the palms.
Culture
Loko villages are grouped together at the bases of hills, in the open plains, or on the valley floors. Usually, a small group of compact huts makes up a village. These huts are round, with wooden walls and cone-shaped, thatched roofs.The Loko are divided into nine districts, with each being ruled by a chief. Each village in the district is ruled by a headman, who answers to the chief. The Loko are a family-oriented people, and a village is generally made up of a family lineage. The Loko are also said to be open-minded, cooperative, and open to outside influences.
Loko society is basically patrilineal, which means that they trace their lineage through the males. Polygyny
Polygyny
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time. In countries where the practice is illegal, the man is referred to as a bigamist or a polygamist...
(having more than one wife) is practiced by many of the men. Before a Loko man marries, he must first pay a bride-price to the girl's parents.
The Loko are engaged in several crafts, such as basketry, cabinet making, and net making. In addition, they participate in many important ritual festivities and ceremonies throughout the year. Much dancing accompanies these events.
Notable Loko people
- Sheik I. KamaraSheik I. KamaraSheik I Kamara is a Sierra Leonean politician. He is a member of Parliament from the Western Area Rural District with the Sierra Leone People's Party as well as a representative at the Pan-African Parliament.-References:...
, member of parliament of Sierra Leone - Sorie Kondi, traditional musician
- Bai Kelfa SankohBai Kelfa SankohBai Kelfa Sankoh is a Sierra Leonean paramount chief representing Kambia District, one of the five districts that make up the Northern Province. He is a member of the Loko ethnic group....
, paramount chief of Kambia District - Ibrahim SesayIbrahim SesayIbrahim Sesay is a Sierra Leonean politician. He is a member of the SLPP and current member of parliament as well as deputy minister of Development and Economic Planning. He is a resident of Freetown but represents the Kambia District.-Trivia:...
, member of parliament from Kambia District - Gumbu Smart, Loko ruler