Sherbro people
Encyclopedia
The Sherbro people are a native people of Sierra Leone
, who speak the Sherbro language
; they make up 3% of Sierra Leone's population or about 201,000. They are also known as the Bullom people. The Sherbros are primarily found in their homeland
in Bonthe District
, where they make up 45% of the population, in coastal areas of Moyamba District, and in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, particularly in Freetown
. During pre-colonial days, the Sherbro were one of the most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, but today only few ethnic Sherbro are found in Sierra Leone. About 99% of the Sherbro people are Christian.
The Sherbro are primarily fisherman
and traders. They have a rich culture, that has integrated some western culture
and ideals. Their culture is unlike that of all other ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. The only Sierra Leonean ethnic group whose culture is similar (in terms of embrace of Western culture) are the Krio people, descended largely from African Americans who were freed by the British and came from Nova Scotia
after the American Revolutionary War
. The Sherbro and the Krios are close allies; they have intermarried from as far back as the 1790s.
As native to Sierra Leone, the Sherbro history dates to pre-colonial times. In the 18th century, the Sherbro began to get involved in the slave trade and became more powerful than the European slave traders. They began to employ the Mende people
to work for them to find slaves to meet the growing demand. In the 1920s, the Sherbro people were still being ruled by their own chiefs.
s came during the 15th century, when Portuguese
explorers, settlers, and traders came to Sierra Leone.
The English followed soon after and in the 1620s, they had a number of agents trading and purchasing items in the Sherbro Country. The Sherbro intermarried with them, producing Afro-European clans such as the Tuckers and the Caulkers. Like the Krios, the Sherbro have a more westernized culture than that of other Sierra Leone ethnic groups. The Krios generally intermarried with their allies the Sherbros from as far back as the 18th century.
During the 18th century, the slave trade began to dominate the African trading markets. The Tuckers and Caulkers became the leading slave traders in the region and grew extremely powerful and notorious. The Hubbards, Tuckers and Caulkers hired Mende people
during their trading exploits for the slave trade.
European dominance in Sherbro society did not diminish with colonial rule by the British, though the chiefdoms were now subject to British rule. In 1820 the Caulkers, who ruled in Banana Island, were forced out and their kingdom was moved to Bumpe by the British.
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...
, who speak the Sherbro language
Sherbro language
The Sherbro language is an endangered language of Sierra Leone. It belongs to the Mel branch of the Niger–Congo language family. While Sherbro has more speakers than the other Bullom languages, its use is declining among the Sherbro people, in favor of English and Krio.- External links :* *...
; they make up 3% of Sierra Leone's population or about 201,000. They are also known as the Bullom people. The Sherbros are primarily found in 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...
in Bonthe District
Bonthe District
Bonthe District comprises several islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the southwestern coast of Sierra Leone and a mainland area. Its capital is the town of Mattru Jong and the largest town in the district is Bonthe, on Sherbro Island and the town of Masabendu....
, where they make up 45% of the population, in coastal areas of Moyamba District, and in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, particularly in 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...
. During pre-colonial days, the Sherbro were one of the most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, but today only few ethnic Sherbro are found in Sierra Leone. About 99% of the Sherbro people are Christian.
The Sherbro are primarily fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
and traders. They have a rich culture, that has integrated some western culture
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
and ideals. Their culture is unlike that of all other ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. The only Sierra Leonean ethnic group whose culture is similar (in terms of embrace of Western culture) are the Krio people, descended largely from African Americans who were freed by the British and came from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
after the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The Sherbro and the Krios are close allies; they have intermarried from as far back as the 1790s.
As native to Sierra Leone, the Sherbro history dates to pre-colonial times. In the 18th century, the Sherbro began to get involved in the slave trade and became more powerful than the European slave traders. They began to employ the 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...
to work for them to find slaves to meet the growing demand. In the 1920s, the Sherbro people were still being ruled by their own chiefs.
History
The Sherbro were one of many ethnic groups living in Sierra Leone before the colonial era. The first interaction with EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s came during the 15th century, when Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
explorers, settlers, and traders came to Sierra Leone.
The English followed soon after and in the 1620s, they had a number of agents trading and purchasing items in the Sherbro Country. The Sherbro intermarried with them, producing Afro-European clans such as the Tuckers and the Caulkers. Like the Krios, the Sherbro have a more westernized culture than that of other Sierra Leone ethnic groups. The Krios generally intermarried with their allies the Sherbros from as far back as the 18th century.
During the 18th century, the slave trade began to dominate the African trading markets. The Tuckers and Caulkers became the leading slave traders in the region and grew extremely powerful and notorious. The Hubbards, Tuckers and Caulkers hired 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...
during their trading exploits for the slave trade.
European dominance in Sherbro society did not diminish with colonial rule by the British, though the chiefdoms were now subject to British rule. In 1820 the Caulkers, who ruled in Banana Island, were forced out and their kingdom was moved to Bumpe by the British.
Relationship with the Krios
De-tribalised Sherbro easily assimilate as Krio, given that they share the Christian faith and Western names.Notable Sherbro
- Kpana LewisKpana LewisKpana Lewis was a Sherbro chief from Sierra Leone and an opponent of colonial rule of the British. He exercised strong influence over all Sherbro chiefs. Part of his fame rested in his pervasive use of the Poro Secret society to oppose the British colonialists...
(1830–1912), Sherbro Chief and opponent of colonial rule - John Karefa-SmartJohn Karefa-SmartDr. John Albert Musselman Karefa-Smart was a politician from Sierra Leone and leader of the United National People's Party. He was an ordained Elder of the United Methodist Church.-Education:...
, Sierra Leonean politician and the former leader of the United National People's PartyUnited National People's PartyThe United National People's Party is a political party in Sierra Leone.In 1996, the UNPP received 21.6% of the votes in the parliamentary election, winning 17 of the 68 seats...
(UNPP) - John AkarJohn AkarJohn Joseph Akar was a Sierra Leonean of Lebanese descent entertainer, writer, and diplomat. He served as Sierra Leonean Ambassador to the United States...
, Sierra Leonean entertainer; who composed the music of the Sierra Leone's national anthem - Henry M. Joko-SmartHenry M. Joko-SmartDr. Henry M. Joko-Smart is a Sierra Leonean statesman, educator and retired Supreme Court Justice.Joko-Smart has a B.A. in classics and a Diploma in Education from the University of Durham, UK, LL.B and LL.M from the University of Sheffield, UK and a Ph.D in law from the University of London...
, former Supreme Court Justice of Sierra Leone - Desmond LukeDesmond LukeDesmond Edgar Fashole Luke is a former politician and lawyer in Sierra Leone. Luke had served as foreign minister , Minister of Health , and ambassador to the West Germany , France and the European Economic Community at various points in his political career...
, former Sierra Leone Foreign Minister and Chief Justice - Patricia KabbahPatricia KabbahPatricia Kabbah was the wife of Sierra Leone's 3rd President, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah; was First Lady of Sierra Leone from 1996 until her death in 1998...
, late First Lady of Sierra Leone and late wife of former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah - Paul KpakaPaul KpakaPaul Kpaka is a Sierre Leonean footballer. He is a striker who last played for Germinal Beerschot in the Belgian first division. His contract with the club ran out on 1 July 2010.- Early life :...
, football star, Sierra Leone - Christian CaulkerChristian CaulkerChristian Caulker is a Sierra Leonean footballer, who currently plays for Vasteras SK.-Career:The first choice goalkeeper of Sierra Leone National Premier League club F. C...
, football star, Sierra Leone - Michael TommyMichael TommyMichael Tommy is a Sierra Leonean international football goalkeeper. He played recently for Grecia in the Costa Rican Second Division. Tommy was the first-choice goalkeeper for the Leone Stars in recent games but he has since lost that position to Christian Caulker.-Career:Tommy was born and...
, football star, Sierra Leone - Kaine P. Thomas, member of Parliament from Bonthe District (PMDC)
- Bassie Agnesie, member of Parliament from Bonthe District (PMDC)
- Margaret Thompson Seibureh, deceased Paramount Chief of Bum Chiefdom
- B. J. TuckerB. J. TuckerBaigeh Joe Tucker is a professional American and Canadian football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.-College career:Tucker was a high school sprint champion in the 100...
, an American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the NFL. - Seniora DollSeniora DollSeniora Doll or Senora Doll was a Sherbro princess or 'Duchess' of the Ya Kumba ruling house of the Yawry Bay Area between the Sierra Leone peninsula and the Sherbro estuary. In the late 17th century she married an English trader and Royal African Company agent, Thomas Corker, and their two sons...
, Sherbro princess during the early years of Sierra Leone - Peter L. TuckerPeter L. TuckerPeter Louis Tucker is a notable Sherbro civil servant and he was once the Chief Executive for the Commission for Racial Equality in the United Kingdom a position he had from 1976-1982. Currently, Peter Tucker is the Chairman of the Law Reform Commission - a position he has held since 2003...
, Chief Executive for the Commission for Racial Equality (UK) - Joseph Christian HumperJoseph Christian HumperJoseph Christian Humper is a Bishop in the United Methodist Church. He serves as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Sierra Leone.-Source:*...
, a bishop in the United Methodist Church - Thomas CaulkerThomas CaulkerThomas Canry Caulker was the Sherbro-born son of the King of Bompey...
, King of Bumpey - Charles Hubbard (Marthyn Shenge), the first Sierra Leonean tennis player to beat a European player (1970s). He was the Men's Singles national champion for three consecutive years and retired undefeated. He was also the first indigenous tennis coach in Sierra Leone.
- James Sheridan (Aka Sherbro), 1st Team, All-State Chicago Catholic basketball player, St. Rita High School
- Charlie James Hughes, Chairman Monuments and Relics Commission, Sierra Leone 2008-2011
- Patrick Tommy Caulker, Current Chief Executive Officer, Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency
Afro-European clans
- Sherbro Hubbards
- Sherbro TuckersSherbro TuckersThe Tuckers of Sherbro are an Afro-European clan in the Southern region of Sierra Leone and they ruled as chiefs in Gbap. The clans progenitors were an English trader and agent, John Tucker , and a Sherbro princess. Along with the Caulkers, the Tuckers became one of the two most powerful...
- Sherbro CaulkersSherbro CaulkersThe Caulkers of Sherbro are an Afro-European Sherbro clan of the region of Southern Sierra Leone and they ruled as chiefs in Shenge and Bonthe. In the 18th century the Caulkers began to get involved in the slave trade and became more powerful than the white slave traders...
- Sherbro RogersesSherbro RogersesThe Rogerses of Sherbro or the Kpaka Rogerses are an Afro-European clan of Southern Sierra Leone.-Rogerses today:Today the Rogerses are still a prominent family in the Sherbro region and many still maintain ties with other Afro-European clans such as the Tuckers and Caulkers through historical...
- Sherbro Clevelands
See also
- Thomas CorkerThomas CorkerThomas Corker was a prominent English agent for the Royal African Company and worked in the Sherbro, Sierra Leone.His descendants are still living in that area and are the Bonthe and Shenge Caulkers...
, Chief Royal African agent in Sherbro country - Seniora DollSeniora DollSeniora Doll or Senora Doll was a Sherbro princess or 'Duchess' of the Ya Kumba ruling house of the Yawry Bay Area between the Sierra Leone peninsula and the Sherbro estuary. In the late 17th century she married an English trader and Royal African Company agent, Thomas Corker, and their two sons...
, married Thomas Corker; their descendants are the Shenge and Bonthe Caulkers