History of Kissi People of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.
Monday, November 1, 2021
Kissi People also known as Kisi or Gizi People can be found in Sierra Leone, Guninea and Liberia.
They are part of the Niger- Congo language, they grow crops such as peanuts also known as groundnuts, bananas, potatoes, watermelons, beans, tomatoes, onions, millet, sorghum and oranges.
They do fishing and hunting, they keep goats, cows, cows are considered very valuable animals, not for their milk but for religious purpose.
Women are Involve in caring for small vegetable gardens, tending to the chickens , trading in the local markets, and doing some fishing. They also sow, the pratice weeding and harvesting.
Kissy is located in the eastern end of Freetown, Sierra Leone and Kissy was founded in 1816 to provide accommodation for liberated enslaved Africans, who had been brought to Freetown by the British Royal Navy West Africa Squadron. According to Reuben Bekoe.
The Gola and Kissi People originated from Present day Ivory Coast, the northern dialect of Kissi is spoken in Guinea and Sierra Leone. Kissi is a mel language of West Africa related to Temne People of Sierra Leone.
There are two dialects of Kissi, Southern dialect is spoken in Liberia and Kissi People are known for making baskets and weaving on vertial looms. They are primarly farmers, rice which is a staple crop is grown.
And They have Intiation Ceremony known as Biriye meaning Cleansing Ceremony, Children are ushered into adulthood afterwards, they are excepted to take adult responsibilities, It is believed a Child who is not Intiated in Biriye is a thought of dirty and being Impure, when a girl or boy reaches puberty there is a purification ritual been held.
Kissi carved many sculptures such as male stone figure nomoli is described as greyish brown patina, snout-like mouth, rep. breakage neck, slight traces of abrasion, base, such figure were used in fertility rites to grant a good rice harvest. The treatment of the nomoli was not affected by reference for them. If the harvest was not satisfying. It might have happened that the stone figures were whipped, sometimes until they were damaged or even destroyed.
According to Admin TLC's account, The Kissi People inhabit the thick tropical forests of Guinea, as well as small areas in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
They speak Niger- Congo called Kisi or Gizi, Kisi boy names include Saa, Saah or Sarh meaning first boy, Tamba meaning second boy and for Kisi girl names such as Sia meaning first girl, Kumba meaning Second girl and Finda meaning Third girl. According to Alsintl's account, Kissi also spelled as Kisi is a language belonging to the Southern group of the Atlantic branch of Niger- Congo language family.
It is spoken by Kissi People Inhabiting a hilly region that overlaps Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Other Southern Atlantic language Include Limba and Temne, There are approximately 500,000 Kissi Speakers in total.
The largest town is Koindu and during Sierra Leone Civil War there was a dispute with Guinea over their Soldiers remaining within Sierra Leone and It is believed after 10 years the end of Civil War centers around Yenga Teng.
According to other account, Kissi Tongi Chiefdom is located in Kaliahun district of Sierra Leone and Villages of about 150 People are situated in clearings .
Pombo means the deceased some of their carvings are extremely old. They are rich in minerals such as bauxite, iron, ore, gold and diamonds. They live in Self- govering villages that are tucked Inside groves of mango or kola trees.
According to Zyama, Kissi People are 140,000 and Inhabit a bodering region of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Essentially farmers, their daily life are organized around Cultivation of rice, In addition to mainoc and cotton.
Each Village 15 compact, containing no more about 150 people. Houses are usually raised slightly above the ground and are round with mud walls, cone-shaped thatch roofs, the village is a public square with a dwelling place and In the center the village headman. Music plays a unique role in Kissi Culture.
It is used for communication and It is said music does not necessarily have a melody, but rather a rhythmic sound with much drumming and whistling.
According to Dan Ivanescus's account, Kissi People live in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone speak a Niger- Congo language, and are well known for making baskets and weaving on vertical looms, although they are primarily farmers.
In the past times they were also well known for Iron working, skills, Kissi Smiths producing the penny, an Iron money widely used in West and even Central Africa. They live in small Self- govering villages that are tucked inside groves of mango or kola trees. Each Village music plays a unique role in Kissi Culture. Sometimes.
It is used for certain types of communication and The music doesnt necessarily have a melody, but a rhythmic sound with much drumming and whistling.
One of the Traditional music Instruments such as Djabara consisting a dried gourd with beads woven into a net covering the gourd, used only by women.
Throughout West Africa there are similar Instruments in Nigeria which is Shekere, In Ghana which is llolo, Axetse and some parts of Togo which is Chequee.
It is made by drying the gourd for several months then removing the pulp and seeds. In Performance It is shaken and or hit against the hands in Wassolon region there is also a rhythm of greeting of high positioned guests the village, during the period of the French it was urgued to play this rhythm for French gouvernment officials.
The women depicted in postcard is a Singer and the first stamp was issued in 2009 to mark the 50th Anniversary of diplomat relations.
According to Randa D'Baga account, The most Important of the Baga art forms is the great mask known as D'mba or Nimba It represents the mother of fertility, protector of pregnant women, and presides over all agricultural ceremonies. The dancer wear a full rafia constume, carries on his shoulders, looking out through holes between the breasts. In use, such as rise, more than 8 ft above the gourd they often weigh more than 80 pounds. Most show a standardized pattern of facial scarification.
Typically, the Baga Nimba's hair is braided into parallel rows representes by the scarification on the head which arw similar to the patterns of agriculture grown in West Africa fields. The face and, breasts of the Baga Nimba are decorated with Scarification, environment.
Nimba's presence is giving direction to the new exemplified in all accepts if Baga life for She is present publicly at wessings to Union, at funerals to Intiated the dead, harvest to celebrate productivity , and planting to Inspire people to complete difficult tasks.
Ultimately, Nimba is a reminder of the reverred. According to Britannica's account, Kissi also Kisi a group of 120,000 People Inhabiting a belt of hills covered by wooded rice, cultivated in marshes, Is the staple of the Kissi diet, Other food Includes yams, groundnuts also known as peanuts, bananas, watermelons, coffee and kola are grown for external trade. Kisi Villages are built of round clay huts with conical roofs. They rarely contain more than 150 persons and are composed of several exogamous patrilineages.
Each lineage is headed by Its senior member, who serves as the Priest of the ancestor and the Intermediary between the living and the dead family members. Small steatile stone statuettes Kisi are made by Inhabitants of the area, are used to represent the ancestors, who provide the only means of communication with the Creator God and According to Andreas Massing, The Kissi Clans, Kaalan over the entire area today Inhabited by Kissi Speakers.
The Kamaa or Kamara clan crossed the Makona Its members first settled at Kpando from where their descendants built Kpasin bedu, Wuledu, Solape, Sielo and Bandilo dispersed over the entire Kissi area except for very large villages, the village is the locus of one clan or a major village and there are about 17 clans .
The historical Origins of the clan are largely unknown at present even though most Kissi Clans have historical and genealogical relations to Malinke and Kissi clans have equivalencies with Malinke Dyamouw.
It is believed Kisi and Malinke traditions assert that during the Sosso Invasion under Sumanguro Kante one of the cousin of Sundiata others claimed he was the brother of Sundiata who escaped and fled South to the area of Kissidougou where his Inhabitants are still known for under the name of Leno. Kissi occupied about 300 years ago, the Country between the Niger and Bafing rivers and They perform cultural dances such as Bondo dance, Matorma dance, Sowie dance, Slit dance, Masked dance, Poro dance and other cultural dances.
The Kissi Kai Londo A Warrior of Sierra Leone.
Kai Londo was a Warrior and Kissi by Ethnicity who hails from Present day Sierra Leons. Kai was born in 18th May, 1845, he built new roads and fortified towns and established Kaliahun. He conquered a large territory in Kailahun district and his father was a Kissi Chief in the eastern part of Sierra Leone.
In 1875, Kai Londo joined Ndawa a Mende Warrior It is believed they campaigned against Chief Benya od Small Bo. Kai Londo led a war against the Mende and he was declared as a powerful ruler and warrior of Luawa in Present day Sierra Leone and he built new roads, fortified towns and It ia said Kai Londo died in 1896 after a defeat and the Victory of the military.