Trip to Liberia: American heritage, masquerades and chimpanzees

Discover the highlights of this trip to Liberia

Monrovia: Liberia's historic pulse

This trip to Liberia will begin in Monrovia, its vibrant capital. There, we will visit the National Museum and colonial houses built by Americo-Liberians. These homes evoke the American South, as they were built by African Americans who returned to Africa in the 19th century. Also, we will visit the statue of Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first democratically elected president of Liberia and the entire African continent. In addition, we will visit the remains of the Ducor Hotel, a decaying icon of the recent past. Overall, this introduction offers a clear view of the complex intersection of African heritage and American influence that defines the country.

Robertsport: the first independent capital

Afterward, the trip to Liberia will take us to Robertsport, a historic enclave on the Atlantic coast. Founded by Americo-Liberians, this city was the nation's first capital. Here we will discover how thousands of free or liberated African descendants crossed the Atlantic during the 19th century, settling in Liberia with the idea of ​​founding a new homeland. However, this process gave rise to a power structure that marginalized the indigenous ethnic groups. In addition to this political backdrop, the city provides an opportunity to observe the daily life of fishing communities and learn about the Vai culture, a people who developed their own alphabet in the 19th century.

Traditional dances, tribal writing and hidden heritages

Upon returning from Robertsport, the trip to Liberia will continue with a special meeting with Vai elders. These guardians of tribal knowledge are still literate in the Vai alphabet, one of the few syllabic systems indigenous to the African continent. The day will conclude with a traditional Vai dance, a living expression of an ancestral heritage that has survived wars, colonization, and political crises.

Careysburg and Bensonville: Memoirs of an American Elite

Next, we'll delve into rural Liberia to explore the towns of Careysburg and Bensonville. These communities are deeply marked by the history of the Americo-Liberians, an elite who, until 1980, controlled the country's politics and economy. We'll visit wooden homes built in the style of the American South plantations, talk with local families, and learn about their music, cuisine, and rituals. This leg of the trip to Liberia reveals how a transatlantic identity shaped the country's social structure for more than a century.

Edina and Buchanan: Architecture, Religion, and Resistance

The trip continues toward the coast to discover Edina and Buchanan. These coastal towns preserve American-style architecture and feature churches founded by African-American evangelicals. Evidently, Liberian-Americans had a Western view of life, from their dress to their religion. Thus, the trip to Liberia allows us to observe how this population attempted to reproduce the American model, even maintaining similar political and legal systems. Despite this, their rule ended abruptly in 1980 with a military coup that marked a turning point in the nation's history.

Female initiation rite in the Bassa village

In Buchanan, we will attend a traditional Sande ceremony in a Bassa village. This secret society prepares girls for adulthood through rituals, dances, and community teachings. Its cultural and religious significance is central to several regions of Liberia. This part of the trip to Liberia offers an intimate look into the symbolic universe of indigenous ethnic groups, generally hidden from the casual visitor.

Chimpanzee Island: conservation and nature

On the other hand, the trip to Liberia will include a unique experience: a visit to Chimpanzee Island. Located near the coastal mangroves, this reserve is home to some 60 chimpanzees that were rescued from a laboratory and released on these protected islands. Specifically, this excursion connects with the country's lesser-known but equally fascinating ecological dimension.

© Photos by Siobhan Lavery taken during a trip to Liberia.

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