A PRIEST in liberia |
religon{Religion} For many years Liberia has been consider a “Christian state”, though numerous of other religions have been accepted equally. 20 percent of the population is Christian, 20-30 percent is Muslim, and the remaining are indigenous people who worship ancestors. There are also some people are apart of secret society, other have a belief in witchcraft. Many people combine the three beliefs. (Cultures of the world: liberia. Author: Ievy)
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some traditional and new examples of liberian dance and music (contains EXPLICIT language) |
Art(music, SUBCULTURE, dance)In 1989, Liberia saw the start of a brutal, decades-long civil war through which its dance tradition continued to thrive through its citizens at home and in refugees abroad who were forced to flee their homes, relatives and culture. In Liberia's era of redevelopment, dance is used in the homeland and worldwide as a tool for education on Liberian culture, tradition and history. Liberia is well known for its skillful hands man-ship in wood mask. Some mask are used for religious purposes, while others may be put onto display. The mask may also be used for dances, plays, education, and other activities. (everyculture.com: art)
Masks serve as an important part of Liberian dance, linking the performers to spiritual deities and ancestors both. In this type of dance, the performer's identity is unknown, as she is said to become the spirit of the mask. There is no separation between the dancer and the spirit. Some of the mask dances are held sacred and dear, and only a chosen few participate. These are reflective of the secret societies Liberia has had throughout its history. (AllAfrica: Liberia) some well crafted masks |
Children in liberia
Children are see as future caretakers of their families and country. Children are often very obedient and are willing to care for their families more than they care for themselves. These are some reasons why many children were used as child soldiers in the Civil Wars. Infants are constantly carried, tied to the back of the mothers or another caregiver. Children take on chores at an early age to learn responsibility. Children primary goal is to gain an education, not only to gain praise from family and have a better future, but also to rebuild their country. (AllAfrica: Liberia)
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All of the indigenous groups have some sort of viewpoint of male dominance. The 19th century domestic ideals brought with the American settlers were very similar, with women assigned to (common day) sexist roles such as housekeeping. However, women's labor is very valuable, as they are often times farming or gathering other resources such as water or rice. Having a decorative, clean, healthy house has great importance in Liberia. Its fine for an educated woman to hold a white-collar job outside the home, though this makes it difficult to participate in many common activities of native women such as farming, and carrying stacks of wood and gallons water. (everyculture.com: Gender-roles and staus)
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some liberian women working |