Sierra Leone - Indigenous Beliefs
Indigenous beliefs are preoccupied with the preservation and increase of that vital life-force that is assumed to permeate everyone and everything. Such beliefs are closely tied to the land and to the kin group (which includes the living and the dead) and thus are an integral part of the social system. They are not beliefs consciously espoused but are part of the culture into which a person is born.
Although details vary from one ethnic group to another, the general characteristics of traditional beliefs and practices are similar. Almost all include a God who is omnipotent and timeless. He is also remote from men and does not judge them; nevertheless it is on this concept that Christian and Muslim missionaries graft their ideas of God.
The Mende call this supreme being Ngewo-Ngewo, the Sherbro hobatoke, the Lokko gebo, the Kissi meleka. The Temne believe that God, whom they call kru, is connected with the sky. The Vai call him kan-imba or kaymba, which means “endless space” and conveys the notion that God is everywhere. The Limba call him kanu, occasionally masala, and in the far north of their territory — under the influence of their Muslim neighbors — alia.
They all believe that God is the ultimate creator of the material and nonmaterial world. They seldom, however, address him directly in prayer. More genuinely involved in the affairs of the living are thought to be a variety of spirits. Communication between their world and the visible world is provided by dreams, divination, and omens.
Closest and most intimate are the spirits of dead ancestors who are believed to participate in the affairs of the living and to be able to help by direct action or by carrying prayers to God. They are greatly respected as the source and guardians of all knowledge. They are approached through sacrifice and invocation by the head of the family.
Most communities in West Africa believe in life after death. Consequently, funeral and burial practices are given a lot of significance as they are perceived as crucial steps in transitioning from the world of the living to the spiritual world. It is widely believed that the transition should be facilitated by the surviving relatives through funeral and burial rituals. In the event that the deceased fails to attain the more elevated rank of ancestral spirit, it is believed that their spirit may return and punish the living relatives.
Another group of spirits is associated with natural phenomena, such as rivers, rocks, trees, or waterfalls. They are believed to have human emotions and may also be approached for help. Another set of spirits is thought to be mischievous and to cause minor misfortunes. Occasionally people make small offerings to them to prevent them from doing harm. Finally there are the spirits of secret societies. They provide the power and enforce the rules of these societies. During ceremonies they are impersonated by masked officials.
Belief in sorcery and witchcraft is an important aspect of indigenous belief systems and seems to persist even when others have fad ed. Witches may be men or women. Most are thought to be innately wicked and capable of doing harm — such as causing the death of babies — either through particular inherited characteristics or by using special techniques and appropriate material objects. Others, however, exercise their extraordinary powers to do good and to protect against harm. All witches — whether good or evil — know how to use the impersonal amoral force that is commonly referred to as medicine. It is this all-pervasive force that is operative in charms, omens, and curses and that the secret societies are believed to be especially capable of controlling and manipulating.
In case of disaster, specialists are employed to find out what displeased spirit or witch was responsible. Such diviners not only diagnose causes of illness, famine, drought, or death but also function as herbalists and are called in to conduct rituals. Some own the special “medicines” on which people swear an oath in settling a dispute for which there were no witnesses. False swearing is believed to lead to sickness or other misfortune. "Medicine” tied to a fruit tree or a house is used to frighten away thieves. Tied around the neck, wrist, or ankle, it is worn to guard a person against the ever-present danger of losing the vital life-force and becoming sick.
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