People And Society In Liberia

The 2.5 million people of Liberia belong to about 16 major tribes. The largest ones are "Kpelle" in the centre, the "Bassa" around Buchanan, the "Krahn" in the southeast, and the "Mandingo" in the north and the "Kru" on the coast. The Americo-Liberian people who constitute 3% of the population are resettled slaves from America. The indigenous tribes have tried to hold on to their traditions and beliefs because they have felt threatened by the years of domination by the Americo-Liberians.

Muslim followers dominate society in Liberia; so food and what people wear are just some of the things the local communities look carefully at. Most of the locals sport casuals for practical reasons. However, more formal clothing is expected when dining out or whenever there’s a social function. Women need to follow the basic rule of covering themselves as much as possible. The cost of living in Liberia is high, so a lot of bare necessities are very expensive.

Sending of flowers or chocolates to hosts is considered inappropriate; a letter of thanks is all that is required! There is a special handshake, which is a sign of freedom, popularised by the settlers called the "snapshake" and is a custom dating back to the slave era.