The Temne in Freetown history: Rethinking the history of the Sierra Leone Colony, 1890--1961

This study reviews the history of one of the oldest colonies of British Africa---the Sierra Leone Colony---famously known as Freetown. Established as an experiment in social engineering in the 18th century by British philanthropists, it became home for four batches of ex-slaves namely the "Black Poor," "Nova Scotians," "Maroons" and "Liberated Africans" also known as "Recaptives." Together these different groups of former slaves evolved a unique community in Freetown and its environs in the 19th century referred to as Creoles. The historical records reveal that Creole society did not exist in isolation; rather it coexisted with non-Creole ethnic groups like the Temne who were original owners of what later turned out to be the Sierra Leone Colony. The Temne community organized around various institutions such as the Temne Tribal Authority, cultural associations, mosques, markets and around leaders they perceived as elites. These institutions and their leaders helped project Temneness in the Colony between 1890 and 1961. In addition to boosting the ethnic pride of the Temne, the institutions served as alternative institutions which catered for the demands and general welfare of the Temne community including migrants in a complex cosmopolitan environment. The extant historiography overlooks the activities of this community and places too much emphasis on the European versus African paradigm. This revisionist study shows that the complex history of the Colony is better understood and widely appreciated when the activities of Creole and non-Creole community leaders, imams, secular elites and provincial migrants are fully integrated in the 'master narrative.'.