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The Nde Language

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The Nde Language T H E N D E LA N G U A GE C O N TAI N I N G USEFUL PH RASES ELEMEN TARY GRAMMAR S HO RT V O C ABULARI ES READI NG MATERI ALS F. H . MI E D W. G O T R AN S PO R T O FF I C ER GO LD C O AST C O LO N Y LO N DO N LTD. AUL TREN C H TRUBN ER C o . P , , , W S E 4 E RRARD STRE ET . DEN HO U , 3 G , 1 9 08 INTRODUCTION a nde nation is located in the eastern part of the Sierra ‘ ora te ori i v rotect . As to its g n I ha e been unable to m v a n y information , but if its recent mo ement be y )n , the general direction of its migration would seem been southerly . In the fourth decade o f the nine entury M endes were apparently little known on the 1 v m , except as sla es brought down fro the interior . R v . e e erend Dr Schoen , of the Church M issionary k and the author of boo s on the Hausa , Ibo , and M ende “ 1 882 m n es , states ( ) that it see s that the natio is on to the seashore , as they occupy at present the r 1 8 39 v - o whe e , in , the sla e dealers had their dep ts h ba ra coo n s as i n the Sherbro country . T eir were (1 on the bank s of the great ri ver B um by Cap tain l v 1 8 40 1 841 , of the British Na y , in or , and since i e the country is open to British commerce and m is operations , and the M ende are the princi pal occupants a l a ce , and their language has all but superseded , and ” v long supersede, the Sherbro altogether . This mo e bu . .s t continued , the Sherbro language still exists m p o sition of peace on the country after the war of rhen the nation endea voured to throw off European seems to have been the immediate cause of large m n su res 3 of the young e leaving their country . The p p v local feuds depri ved them of their chief acti ities . here was constant local warfare the safety of the town (1 on its m ale inhabitants being always at home . he abolition of the necessity for their presence the nen began to look around for so m e direction in which m their energies , and finding none at ho e they were ‘ ily com pelled to go abroad ; and they are now to be 1 “T A all parts o f est frica, including the French and colonies . As regards the Gold Coast , they were first ed to that country through being brought in s m all 3 in the capacity either of soldiers or carriers for the trs 1 8 7 3 . , beginning with the Ashanti war of For 63 6 51 0 INT R O DU CT ION 1 9 00 m the Ashanti war of they ca e in larger numbers . f “ a R m L i est Afric n egi ent , which was sent from Sierra e had many M endes i n it s ranks ; and of the carriers that v enlisted at Freetown for t h e sa m e war proba bly over 4 w A m n ere M ende . bout this ti e , too , large numbers recruited as labourers for the Sekondi to Kumasi rail “ As many as were willing to go were sent back at the ex p m b ut m u a ! tion of their engage ents , any ret rned gain to ob w m v m ork either fro the Go ern ent or on the mines . At present ti m e ( 1 9 0 7 ) they probably do n ot nu m ber much 11 1 2 00 a n d fi ve . than in the Colony , four to years would s to be the a verage period of re sidence . Their number has t n steadily decreasing , owing to the restrictio s imposed by v v t Sierra Leone Go ernment on their lea ing tha Colony , tho s e that go back home now find it difficult to come a g m v Unlike the Kru en , who ha e considerable obj ection v - lea ing the coast line , and who work in gangs , which come t he t m v Sim return annually , M endes subj ect he sel es to no t a n d n t - tl res rictions , their e erprise an d self reliance take v e erywhere . They are not generally tall , but sturdy , fearless , and cap t m a sure m e of great endurance . The following able of e w v m v a hich I ha e ade , gi es possibly a f irly correct indica ’ of this people s stature . H I GH TS r 89 1 M N D S M AS U D E o E E E RE . Shortest a nd i Up to a n d i n cludi n g 1 4 5 5i 5 f a n d u o in us iw : 2 1 t . p t cl v 5 6 5 a nd up to i n clusi e 42 . g a nd 2 1 5 7q 2 5 m l 40 2 5 .3 s 5 8 i 40 . ; 4 8 2 8 3 a nd o ve r 3 7 Ta llest 49 46 INTR OD U CTION m The nation seems to be for ed by an admixture of a tall , s m lim race , presumably coming fro the open country to the n - orthward , with the short , thick set race , which ancient records , d m v ating back as far as the ti e of the Phoenicians , Show to ha e been the inhabitants of the tropical African forest in past ages which v iew t he foregoing figures appear to support . t he a s a s The customs of M endes , far I can learn from h n ot earsay , do seem to differ greatly from those of their i m a . mmediate neighbours , who still re ain p gans The great institution of the country is Poro ; an institution similar to which exists among the Vais , their neighbours to the south A v t . s east , and I belie e also in o her adj oining countries m it m a reference has been ade to it , y be briefly stated that v It Poro is irtually a system of education . has been described as a secret society but there cannot be m uch secrecy about h w at has been attended by nearly a l l the yo uth of the country . The course of inst ruction v aries with the desire and status of the v m indi idual and the fees paid . Dancin g , singing, gy nastics , s medicine, an d mystic rites are amongst the ubjects taught , and v for some boys the course lasts se en years . Girls also go u u m w through a course of instr ction s itable for the , hich they b h sex W are no t permitted to talk a out wit the other . hat is Poro to the men is called Sande or Bondo for the women . As to the a tfi nitie s of the M ende language I a m unable to v say much , ha ing , of the surrounding lang uages , only been able to exam ine Vai . ’ Y “ ul - o f M en de M endes Huro or k must not be confused with M and e , which i s the language of the M andingos . As the structure and gramm a r of a language are a s urer indication of ffi it s v sub its a nity to other languages than words , I ha e in the j oined table compared M e nde with Vai as wel l as with Hausa . W t a m v n o i h Haus , fro its distance, it can ha e possible con n ectio n ; but the comparison shows the striking d ifferences in v sm the languages of a relati ely all portion of Africa . viii I NT R ODUCT I ON c 8 c 5 8 5 3 5 5 S 8 S : o c ? E 1 0 2 £ a ? 5 &5 m 5 m 5 8 3 e m ? 5 e 3 8 . w t s M m e 8 8 o m o fi w w S 5 : a E c s c “ 2 3 3 a 9 e 3 5 . 3 g 8 v S o M : a w m v a e a c v . ” a s o E a o 5 2 d e 3 m “ —s n a 8 h 0 a a e 8 E E | 3 [ : £ 2 8 g o 3 5 E c € : o l 2 o 5 2 a f 2 C 5 s m a 5 5 m f o 5 s o 5 ? i c 5 Q 5 < 0 e ; 6 r/ N s INTR ODUCTION 5 t é : o 5 o : w A 4 a ; 5 n 0 2 s 8 0 o 5 9 “ E 0 0 0 > » A 5 m 0 s S m E ? 0 i o 2 2 2 > 0 a 0 m 0 m 8 m o 5 0 0 0 0 fi 4 i 0 m 0 m fi 9 fl 5 0 6 d 0 6 0 o > 2 ? 2 2 A Z ? b a a t 2 ? 3 g » a 5 0 0 0 0 2 w 0 0 0 a fi w > ? 2 > 2 8 8 3 kfl r 8 8 E : 0 o 1 2 m m u ? 2 : m o 5 m e 8 5 g b 0 : a C 0 e a m 0 m t 0 o 9 o m 0 8 0 o m s 0 0 3 d : o 0 n a 0 o m o o 0 fi o 5 w c w .
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