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The Sherbro Language and Culture of Sierra Leone

The Sherbro language, spoken on Sherbro Island and nearby coastal areas of Sierra Leone, is in rapid decline. Its speakers now number some 20,000 with its domains and functions decreasing. Sherbro speakers increasingly prefer the more widely spoken languages Mende, Krio, and Temne. In a few places, however, the language is used in daily interactions. One is within the Dema Chiefdom on the westernmost edge of the island. It is here the project will locate itself to fully document the language in grounded contexts and partner with the local community and university to produce materials valuable to these and scholarly communities. Speakers of Bullom languages (Bullom is the group to which Sherbro, Mani, Bom, Kim, and Kisi belong) once lived in the interior but were gradually pushed to the Atlantic coast by various Mande groups (Brooks 1993, Childs 2011), where they became fishermen. Sherbro has some typological interest not only because of its status as a member of the Bullom sub-group of South Atlantic, but also because of its dislocation as a result of the Mande Expansion (Childs 2002) and the subsequent intense interaction with European traders in slaves and other commodities. Undoubtedly, this contact affected the language (Childs 2002).

Submissions from 2018 2018

Documentation of the Sherbro Language and Culture, George Tucker Childs and Abdulai Bendu

Let's Speak Bolom! The First Sherbro Primer: A Graphic Introduction to the Sherbro Language of Sierra Leone, George Tucker Childs and Abdulai Bendu

Submissions from 2017 2017

Abu Bakar Bendu Voiceover, George Tucker Childs

Albert Yanka - Boy Lost at Sea, George Tucker Childs

Baba Mandela Fishing, George Tucker Childs

Bondo ceremony 1, George Tucker Childs

Bondo ceremony 2, George Tucker Childs

Bondo ceremony 3, George Tucker Childs

Constructing Mud House, George Tucker Childs

Court Case, George Tucker Childs

Drawing Water at Seaport, George Tucker Childs

Fishing with Sailboat (part 1), George Tucker Childs

Fishing with Sailboat (Part 2), George Tucker Childs

Fish Smoking at Seaport, George Tucker Childs

Hassan Bendu Voiceover, George Tucker Childs

Hoeing Field, George Tucker Childs

Hunter, George Tucker Childs

Kagboro Anthem, George Tucker Childs

Maps for Sherbro Area, George Tucker Childs

Marie L Sesay interview, George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 1), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 2), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 3), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 4), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 5), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 6), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 7), George Tucker Childs

Mokain Reinstatement (Part 8), George Tucker Childs

Musa Bangura Fishing, George Tucker Childs

Palm Nut Processing, George Tucker Childs

People Bargaining, George Tucker Childs

Plantain Island Fishing, George Tucker Childs

Quran Learning, George Tucker Childs

Seaport Interview, George Tucker Childs

Sherbro Dictionary, George Tucker Childs

Tengisa Interviews, George Tucker Childs

Thatching (Part 1), George Tucker Childs

Thatching (Part 2), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 1), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 10), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 11), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 12), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 13), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 2), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 3), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 4), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 5), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 6), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 7), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 8), George Tucker Childs

Tissana Election (Part 9), George Tucker Childs

Tom Caulker Sherbro History, George Tucker Childs

Transporting New Dugout, George Tucker Childs

Virgina Lohr Story, George Tucker Childs

Wong Island Discussion, George Tucker Childs

Zainab Caulker Interview, George Tucker Childs

Submissions from 2016 2016

Abdulai Bendu interview, George Tucker Childs

Abubakarr Bendu Palm Head Cutting, George Tucker Childs

Abu Conteh Planting Rice, George Tucker Childs

Adama Mampa Bondo, George Tucker Childs

Adama Mampa Greeting, George Tucker Childs

Adama Mampa Interview, George Tucker Childs

Adama Mampa on Cooking, George Tucker Childs

Adama Mampa on Cooking (Part 2), George Tucker Childs

Albert Yanka Interview, George Tucker Childs

Alie Will Interview, George Tucker Childs

Alie Will on Dancing, George Tucker Childs

Alusine Bundu Interview, George Tucker Childs

Ansu Kagboro Interview, George Tucker Childs

Banana Island, George Tucker Childs

Biah Heni Life Story, George Tucker Childs

Blacksmithing 1, George Tucker Childs

Blacksmithing 2, George Tucker Childs

Braima Bendu Basket Weaving, George Tucker Childs

Braima Bendu Climbing Belt, George Tucker Childs

Braima Bendu Palm Wine Tapping, George Tucker Childs

Brushing 1, George Tucker Childs

Brushing 2, George Tucker Childs

Brushing 3, George Tucker Childs

Brushing 4, George Tucker Childs

Brushing Crew Introduced, George Tucker Childs

Brushing Swamp, George Tucker Childs

Bundling Rice Shoots, George Tucker Childs

Bundu Brothers Proverbs, George Tucker Childs

Burning the Farm 1, George Tucker Childs

Burning the Farm 2, George Tucker Childs

Burning the Farm 3, George Tucker Childs

Charles Barlay Slave Pen, George Tucker Childs

Chernor Anshon Interview, George Tucker Childs

Children Cracking Groundnuts (Part 1), George Tucker Childs

Children Cracking Groundnuts (Part 2), George Tucker Childs

Children's Dance Troupe, George Tucker Childs

Coconut Processing, George Tucker Childs

Cracking Palm Kernels, George Tucker Childs

Cracking Palm Nuts, George Tucker Childs

Cyril Manley on Walter Hanson, George Tucker Childs

Dicing Cassava, George Tucker Childs

Djibril Will Mat Weaving, George Tucker Childs

Fatimata Anshon Interview, George Tucker Childs

Fatu Kallon - Stripping Palm Fronds, George Tucker Childs

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