Analysis Report- Sierra Leone

Student

Sierra Leone

This relatively small nation in Africa has been in the headlines lately because of the ongoing civil war and most importantly the blood diamonds that are purportedly coming out to support war lords and other men of dubious character . It is such a pity to hear such remarks for a country as beautiful as Sierra Leone

Its recent history could not be explained without using terms such as rebels , extreme poverty , and illicit trade . After gaining independence in the 1960s this African state began a downward spiral that

has seen the ruling elite abuse power and set-up a system where they can profit exclusively from the trade of diamonds while the rest of the population wallow in abject poverty

This will take a survey of the country 's history , stretching as far back as ancient times . The study will progress to the Medieval Ages and then to modern times providing for a backdrop in understanding the enigmatic land . By doing so , the reader may have a basic understanding as to how Sierra Leone came to be

Background History

There is very little information that will provide for a meaningful sketch of Sierra Leone before the Europeans came . Even in the 21st century , with modern means of travel and exploration , traveling to Africa requires serious planning and preparation . In ancient times it would not be hard to imagine how the rugged terrain has discouraged a number of explorers to go much further

The only useful documented history that can be used to get a glimpse of Sierra Leone in ancient times can be gleaned from the accounts of Hanno the great Carthaginian explorer who may probably have ventured as far as Sierra Leone . One thing is sure though , Hanno was able to complete a voyage that had brought him to an area near Sierra Leone , to a bay which now is known as the Sherboro Sound (Tozer , 1997 ,

. 108

Hanno was never able to establish contact with the inhabitants of Sierra Leone but instead reported an incredible incident in which he described skirmishes with hairy savages that were mostly composed of women . The hairy females upon capture were identified as Gorillae by Hanno 's interpreter and guide (Tozer , 1997 ,

. 108 . In short , Hanno and crew did not saw any natives from Sierra Leone except for gorillas that they have mistaken as human savages

At this point it has been made clear that it is almost impossible to push back the mist covering the history of ancient Sierra Leone like a shroud . Researchers Arthur and Utting were forced to conclude that

We cannot trace the history of Sierra Leone very far back beyond the arrival of the Portuguese . From about the year A .D . 1000 negro tribes in the Niger region were founding great empires , but Sierra Leone appears to have been uninfluenced by big movements in the other parts of Africa This isolation . was due to the dense belt of tropical forest (1971 br

. 33...