Liberia: Genesis

 

Genesis: Liberia Looking Back

    Many sources often indicate Liberia's history only to begin in the early 1800s dealing with colonization and slavery, but what was Liberia beyond this? Unfortunately, anything dealing with Mother Africa is often limited to a context of slavery, oppression, and it's dealing with European cultures. While these may play intricate parts in history they are not the only realms that confine the expansive regions of Africa's history. 

    Liberia's history stretches back as far as the 12th (the early 1100s) and 16th centuries (the early 1500s). In these more primitive periods, there is a great migration, of some sort, bringing in tribal members from more oppressed and underprivileged areas. One could almost infer that Liberia was a land of hope for some and opportunity for others. During these times Liberia contained at least sixteen different ethnic groups such as the Bassa, Days, Gola, Kru, Kissi, Belle, Dahn, Dei, Grebo, Kpelle, Morma, Mandingo, Mono, Mende, and Vai. Some biased sources would make the attempt to paint them as uncivilized individuals, but they did bring discipline and culture. Though they did not have a modernized governmental structure, they did possess control within their communities beneath the authority of chiefs, religious priests, and elders. These migrants brought a variety of ingenious skills, ideas, and diversities along with them. They brought industries like that of iron smelting, weaving, spinning, rice, and other staple crops. By the 14th-15th century, this influx of industry ushered in an increase in trading in the West African region after the decline of the Songhai and the Western Sudanic Mali Empire. Their trade routes made frequent contact with the Portuguese, Dutch, and British up until the late 17th century. 

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Bibliography: 

• Liberia - history and culture. Adventure Tourism - Experiential Travel Guides. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.iexplore.com/travel-guides/africa/liberia/history-and-culture.
• Mokry, A. (2014, September 24). The interesting history of Liberia. AFR 110 Intro to Contemporary Africa. Retrieved November 25, 2021, from https://sites.psu.edu/afr110/2014/09/24/the-interesting-history-of-liberia/.
• All about Liberia. Africa.com. (2021, September 15). Retrieved November 26, 2021, from https://www.africa.com/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-liberia/.