Temne
The Temne (very rare and out of date Timmene ) are an ethnic group in Sierra Leone, West Africa . With a share of 31.7% and 2.22 million people (as of 2015), they make up the majority of the country's population after the Mende .
Their settlement areas are on the Rokel River in the northwest of Sierra Leone.
The language of the Temne, the Temne , is closely related to that of the neighboring small people of the Bullom-Sherbro and that of the Baga in Guinea .
history
The Temne immigrated to their present territory in the late 15th or early 16th century and probably played an important role in the long-distance trade in kola nuts during the times of the Mali and Songhai empires . The term kola nut is said to come from the corresponding Temne word aŋ-kola . Farma Tami is considered to be its founder .
The Temne also traded with the Portuguese on the coast.
In 1898 the Temne, led by Bai Bureh , led an uprising ( Mende-Temne War ) against taxation by the British colonial power, whereby they also turned against the Creoles and Mende, who were closer to the British .
Culture
Today the Temne are mainly rice farmers, sea fishermen and traders. Most are Muslims, although they have retained elements of traditional animist religions. There are secret societies, the Poro is the one for men and the Bondo the one for women. The most important rituals of the Temne are the coronations or burials of chiefs and the initiation of new members of the secret society.
Some Sierra Leoneans from other ethnic groups consider the Temne to be aggressive, also because they used to wage wars against neighboring peoples.
The folk music of the Temne is known as Bubu . The originally ritual music is also used today during Ramadan . She became popular through the singer and composer Janka Nabay .