Re: Regarding Africa.... Mende migration

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--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kpmoseley2@aol.com
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 19:51:05 EST
Subject: Fwd: For CMK: Mende migration Re: What's up with the Mende

 
 
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From: "kohuneh" <kohuneh@PDQ.NET>
To: <leonenet@lists.umbc.edu>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 01:16:35 -0600
Subject: For CMK: Mende migration Re: What's up with the Mende
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	  by rly-zc04 (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0)
	  Thu, 4 Feb 1999 02:43:33 -0500 (EST)
	for leonenet-outgoing@lists.umbc.edu; Thu, 4 Feb 1999 02:15:35 -0500 (EST)

Koi Meama Kajue,
The Kpa-Mendes are my "daemias."  I have to stay quiet before I get fined =
--
"taa nya yeya gole."  Let me take a last shot at the history of migration =
of
the Mende into present-day Sierra Leone and try and polish up on the
differences between the Koh and the Kpa.

You are right about the history of the pattern of migration of the
"Mehni"/Mende into Sierra Leone. (some call it "Mani/Mane/Mandi" invasion.
I find all of these titles and names onjectionable for reasons I have argu=
ed
in my work on the Mende)  There is compelling evidence of a south-east to
southwestern pattern pioneered by the Kpa-Mende.  The Kpa Mende certainly
accomplished themselves militarily save for the botched campaign to
subjugate the Susus to the north.  There are claims that the isolated grou=
p
that was surrounded and cut off from the original group became the
Loko/Lohgoh.  Again, there is linguistic evidence and of course the blason
populaire of the claim to who must keep the inferior role in the avuncular
relationship -- who is "njagbe" and who asked for the "bony head" of the
sacrificial cow rather than the meaty carcass.

But then there are counter-claims that royalty stayed behind to administer
whilst military commanders/viceroys (the Kpa-Mende) did the dirty work of
expansion on their behalf.  The homogenous royalty stayed behind at
Koh --the top/head/source of the Mehni empire which straddled the forest
regions between western Liberia and eastern Sierra Leone--  whilst the
Kpa -- which was/is a motley army of "conquered people" --Bomu, Simba, etc
and Mehni military viceroys appointed by the Koh chiefs did the dirty work
in the west.  This partly explains why this group was referred to as
"Kpa-Gba Mende"  -- speakers of "Mehni" who are different.  Hill and
McCulloch (and there is a citation in Little) especially have attempted to
explain the differences between the two groups on the basis of evidence fr=
om
the physical anthropology.  I find the assessment unconvincing.  In realit=
y
though, the "Kpa-Mehni" conquering army transformed the economy, sociology
and politics of the conquered areas -- see again Walter Rodney, Arthur
Abraham and my work on Mende patterns of settlement.  But this group, -- K=
pa
Mehni -- for what it was, was also the most receptive of the culture of th=
e
"conquered people" (I don't like using the phrase).  Hence the marked
differences in most cultural and political practices as distinct from the
Koh and other Mendes.

Ngi Mende hindei hungia wa ha.  Gbeh naa ngi lehvu kulo.
Sewehmoi loh,
Koi Kagbeni of Koh and Bowo stock.
PK




-----Original Message-----
From: cmkajue@PRIMANET.COM <cmkajue@PRIMANET.COM>
To: Leonenet <leonenet@lists.umbc.edu>
Date: Wednesday, February 03, 1999 8:22 PM
Subject: What's up with the Mende


>Brother Morie,
>
>You have the wrong Meama-Kajue. Elongima still lives in Sweden and is an
>uncle of mine.
>
>Now, let's examine your statement. You stated that because the
>Koh-Mendes were the last of the Mandes to arrive in Sierra Leone,
>therefore they are the core, or as you put it, the "last vestiges of the
>Songhai empire". I absolutely agree that the Kpas were there before the
>Kohs... but, does that not make us your 'uncles' or 'older brothers'? We
>were the ones that took the initiative of migrating. The rest of you
>followed on our heels and once you got there, you found the place
>prepared and ready for you to settle in. We were the warriors who fought
>the resistance that was encountered while we were trying to settle in
>Salone. By the time you guys joined us, we had already claimed the South
>and most of the East of S. Leone! (I apologize to my Loko brothers for
>this). Now you tell me who is the core group?
>
>As Alpha stated, our stubbornness and hard line stance have often been
>the main stay of our people - ah lie? As for PK, ah nor go argue wit am.
>How dare he support the Kohs and say Kpa means 'other'. Kpa and Gba are
>two different words.
>
>Ketamia,
>
>Claude Meama-Kajue
>
>
>
>Meama-Kajue,
>    Are the one called Elongima Meama-Kajue of Sweden. I am Morie who
>met
>you in Plainfield in 1990/1992 and were involved in the municipal and
>state
>elections. You should be the husband or former husband of a lady by the
>name
>of Magdalene.
>Please respond ASAP let me know. And by the way, the original Mende has
>to
>be Koh-Mende because being the sub group of the Mande speaking people of
>
>West Africa, and possible last vestiges of the Songhai Empire, migration
>
>toward the south west coast of Sierra Leone had to end up with the Kpaa
>Mende.
>     In other words, they were the last trekkers in Sierra Leone and
>hence,
>an extension of the Koh-Mende. So Kpaa-Mende must have been the last to
>coalesce as a sub-group of the Mende. That's why Koh-Mende are the
>"Mende
>Heidee" of the Mende land, correct me if you can.
>
>




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