– human rights advocate in Liberia, 2009 workshop. As I prepare to leave for Afghanistan and begin to focus my attention on a part of the world I know little to nothing about, I have been reviewing literature about education in post conflict reconstruction (which is not what I’ll be doing, but what I’m interested […]
Read more "“We are all perpetuators, we are all victims”"The TRC, for those who are not completely involved in everything Liberia, is the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, established by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2003 that began preliminary work in 2006. They recently, over the past month, released their recommendations and basically created a list of everyone who should be tried or investigated in […]
Read more "The TRC report, responses to some informal interviews:"Picture 1 is our cook, Alice, who is very sweet and works very very hard. The next photo is in Gbarnga, it’s the new bank that was prepared for the Independence day celebration, you can’t really see it but in there is a “wacky wavy inflatable arm flailing tube man” that made many many people […]
Read moreSo the program was disappointing because: It was held inside with limited space. Many of the VIP’s were not Liberian so most of the awaiting crowd could not participate and see their president. There was no space for questions. The Paramount Chief (chief of chiefs), was very old and said some things about women’s empowerment […]
Read more "The Independence Day Program"Or the Bush Devil, country devil, dancer*, guy/girl in funny costume, etc. This one was from one of the tribes on the coast. Every tribe in Liberia has some version of the Bush Devil, some are more commonly seen in public, like on this occasion. Some, like the Kpelle Bush Devil, are not seen by […]
Read more "What was interesting was the devil."I have been slack to keep up with my days here, mostly because things started to blend together in workshops and work but today was different. Today was Liberia’s Independence Day. Technically July 26th is the date but because it fell on a Sunday the festivities were today (Monday). I’ll start with today and work […]
Read more "Many days and many thoughts"It means bright woman, or light skinned woman. M, with the GAP team gave it to me. I’m very proud and honored to have a Kpelleh (pronounced Bellay)* name. It’s prounounced Nya (like an n in Spanish) – poo. When people say it, it sounds like Nyampu but I don’t think there’s an M in […]
Read more "My name is Nyapu"Eddoes – a wide leaf that is eaten in Ghana, the root is eaten in LiberiaPalava sauceCabbage and palm cabbageCollardsTomatoes – “bulbs”=cherry tomatoesPotato leaf – they eat the leaf here! Didn’t know you could do that…Fever leaf – semi-bitter, used to release bowls (the liquid that comes out of it being mashed) and break a […]
Read more "Plants: (Yes, I’m blogging about plants because some have asked, and they’re different here)"7-17 – 7-19 Went to the forest again last weekend. Heard there were elephants in the area but have yet to see any. There was another peacebuilding meeting. Yes, Matt, the put the sign up, I took a picture for you. Did I negatively affect the process? Sitting in the meeting, overheated and dehydrated, I […]
Read more "Last weekend – Goyala, Voinjama and Zar-Zar"Both males and females are circumcised in traditional Liberian culture, during the Poro and the Sande initiation rites. Basically these schools (referred to as “bush schools) are the traditional way of educating youth on everything from cooking to participating in local governance. The Poro is for the boys and the Sande is for the girls, […]
Read more "The Poro and the Sande (and violence?)"
Ally Krupar 