I’ve decided
not to use my first post to bore you with you with details of my travel
arrangements, flights and whether or not I shall be sitting aisle or window.
Instead, I’m going to tell you a little about Sierra Leone or, as it
is affectionately called by locals, ‘Sweet Salone’.
Sierra Leone
is located on the west coast of Africa; it is a small country roughly the size
of Ireland. Within its boundaries you will find beautiful beaches, mountains,
rainforests and savannah grasslands. Salone has been inhabited by man for over
2500 years. In the mid-15th century it was named Serra de Leão (meaning Lion Mountain) by a Portuguese
explorer and the name stuck!
It has a complex and colourful history, shaped by colonialism, slavery
and the resource-rich soil. Most of you will know Sierra Leone for its brutal
civil war during the 90s. The media was flooded with images of child
soldiers and amputees. It’s estimated that around 50,0000 people died during
the conflict and over half of the population was displaced. But Sierra Leone is now
on the road to recovery. Since the end
of the war in 2002 it has made huge progress in development terms, progress
which is often overlooked by western eyes. At the end of 2012 it had its
first free election.
The officially language of Sierra Leone is English (independence from
Britain was gained in 1961), but more commonly spoken is Krio. Krio evolved
in Freetown during the abolition of slavery. It’s a combination of several
indigenous African languages and English. I have compiled a list of essential
Krio phrases for you, which I picked up from a popular travel guide.
Essential Krio:
§
How
are you? - How di bodi?
§
I’m
fine - Di bodi fine
§
Can’t
complain - Ah tel god tehnki (literally, I tell God thank you)
§
I
bought this ring for you - Ah bai dis ring foh yu
§
The
food is tasty – Di chop swit
§
Shut
your mouth – Seht yu mot (Do not be alarmed, I’ve been told that this doesn’t
carry the same aggression as it does in the UK, though I would recommend using
it with caution!)
On the cultural front, the Salone music scene is thriving! In 2001 it was estimated that over 90% of music
was foreign but today about 70% of music played is home grown.
Music is political, and is used to fight injustices and corruption in society. And so, as I set off for the airport, I’ve decided to leave you with some sweet sounds of Sierra Leone.
Love
Bea
P.s
It’s
23 degrees in Freetown today!
