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An Eye Opener: Are Mandingoes Really Citizens or foreigners in Liberia?
Apr 30, 2008
Nimely-Sie Tuon
This eye opening article by my good friend S. Mohammed Kromah speaks to many of the issues that we raised calling for a Total Native Society in Liberia. Mr. Kromah, in his article revealed to many of us from other Liberian tribes some interesting things about the Mandingo tribe, especially those 4 principles of Fabadinya, Sananguya, Kamesanya, Lami that many of us were not aware of. Where in Liberia can these principles presence be felt...no where, unless you go deeper in the Mandingo community.
These pillars of the Mandingo tribe are shared with other tribes in Liberia in different forms. But we don't know this because we are doing everything in power to get away from our culture under the guise of open-mindedness. Imagine a street with name Lami Ave. People are bound to ask what that means, and they will be told it stands for one of the guiding principles of the Mandingo tribe that means "personal conscience, individual sense of right and Judgment. The next question could be what are the others ..and within a short perod of time, more would have been known about the Mandingo tribe, all because the name appear at a pubic place.
If various Liberian tribal names were posted everywhere around the country it could encourage Liberians know about them which in turn will raise the cultural sensitivity of the population and increase the respect each other. Right now we use all kinds of derugatory terms to portray many of our tribes, many of which have roots in the way the Americo-Liberians once perceived native Liberians as savages and un-believers.
About the question as whether Mandingoes are citizens or foreigners in Liberia? Mr. Kromah honestly answered the question, some are citizens, others are not, but quick to point out that this common among many Liberian tribes.
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