Of Secret Societies and Sacred Rice: Exploring the Traditions of Sierra Leone’s Mende and Temne Peoples

By Kwadwo Afrifa – December 1, 2025 10:00

Our expansive journey through Africa’s diverse cultures brings us back to the West African coast, to the “Lion Mountains” of Sierra Leone. While the capital, Freetown, is famous for its Krio culture (descendants of freed slaves), the indigenous heart of the nation beats to the rhythm of two major groups: the Mende people of the south and east, and the Temne people of the north and west. Their cultures are profoundly shaped by the dense Upper Guinean forests, the cultivation of rice, and the pervasive influence of powerful secret societies that govern social and political life.

Sierra Leone’s history is a complex tapestry of indigenous kingdoms, the establishment of a settlement for freed slaves in 1787, and a modern history of resilience following a brutal civil war. Throughout it all, the traditions of the Mende and Temne have remained the bedrock of national identity.

The Mende: The Power of the Sande and Sowei

The Mende people are one of the two largest ethnic groups, inhabiting the forested southern and eastern regions.¹ They are agriculturalists with a culture deeply intertwined with the Sande (female) and Poro (male) societies.²

• The Sande Society and Sowei Masks: The Mende are unique in Africa for possessing a masquerade tradition that is controlled and performed by women.³ The Sande society is an initiation association responsible for teaching young girls domestic skills, moral codes, and the secrets of womanhood.⁴
  • The Sowei mask (or Bundu mask) is the helmet mask worn by the Sande leaders.⁵ Carved from black wood and polished to a shine, it depicts an idealized female beauty: a high forehead (wisdom), downcast eyes (modesty), and neck rings (symbolizing fertility and the ripples of water from which the spirit emerges) .
• Rice Farming: For the Mende, rice is not just food; it is life. The agricultural calendar dictates the rhythm of society. A common saying reflects this deep connection: “If I have not eaten rice, I have not eaten.”
• Governance: Mende society is traditionally organized into chiefdoms.⁶ While men hold many leadership positions, the influence of the Sande society grants women significant political and social power, and female paramount chiefs are historically common among the Mende.

The Temne: Resistance and Islamic Influence

The Temne people dominate the northern and western provinces.⁷ While sharing the secret society traditions with the Mende, their culture has distinct historical and religious nuances.

• Paramount Chiefs (Bai): Temne society is structured around powerful chieftaincies, where the Paramount Chief (titled Bai) serves as a political and semi-sacred leader.⁸ The installation of a chief is a complex ritual involving the Poro society, ensuring the leader has the spiritual backing of the ancestors.
• Legacy of Resistance: The Temne are celebrated for their history of resistance against colonial rule, most notably the Hut Tax War of 1898 led by the legendary warrior-chief Bai Bureh.⁹ He remains a national hero and a symbol of Temne tenacity and strategic prowess.
• Islamic Influence: While traditional beliefs remain strong, the Temne have been more heavily influenced by Islam than the Mende, due to centuries of trade interactions with northern neighbors.¹⁰ This creates a culture where Islamic prayers often blend with traditional ancestor veneration.

The Bond of the Secret Societies

What binds the Mende, Temne, and many other groups in Sierra Leone (like the Limba and Sherbro) together is the universal presence of the Poro (male) and Sande/Bundu (female) societies.¹¹

• Cross-Ethnic Institution: These societies transcend ethnic lines. A Poro member from a Mende village can often find welcome and sanctuary in a Temne Poro lodge.
• Social Governance: historically, these societies acted as the “government behind the government,” regulating trade, settling disputes, and even declaring war or peace.¹² Today, they remain vital custodians of culture and rites of passage.

A Nation of Resilience

Sierra Leone is a nation that has endured the trauma of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and a devastating modern civil war.¹³ Yet, the enduring structures of the Mende and Temne—their chiefs, their secret societies, and their communal farming traditions—have provided a framework for healing and reintegration. Along with the Krio culture of Freetown, they form a resilient and vibrant national identity.

Our next article will take us to the Horn of Africa, to the “Nation of Poets,” Somalia. We will distinguish it from our previous exploration of Djibouti by focusing specifically on the intricacies of the Somali clan system (Xeer) and their profound oral poetic heritage.

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References:

• Abraham, A. (1978). Mende Government and Politics Under Colonial Rule. Sierra Leone University Press.
• Boone, S. A. (1986). Radiance from the Waters: Ideals of Feminine Beauty in Mende Art. Yale University Press.
• Fanthorpe, R. (1998). “Locating the Politics of a Sierra Leonean Chiefdom.” Africa, 68(4), 558-584.
• Phillips, R. B. (1995).¹⁴ Representing Woman: Sande Masquerades of the Mende of Sierra Leone. Fowler Museum of Cultural History.

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