The Kpelle or Guerze lived in North Sudan during the sixteenth century, before fleeing to other parts of North West Africa into what is now Mali. Their flight was due to internal conflicts between the tribes from the crumbling Sudanic Empire. Some migrated to Liberia, Mauritania, and Chad. They still maintained their traditional and cultural heritage despite their migration. Some of those countries still respect their cultural and traditional practices. Unfortunately for Liberia, the emergence of western education, Civil war and the signing of other International instruments by past governments, have stolen the pride of the largest ethnic group in Liberia.
The Kpelle are primarily a virilocal polygamous society dominated by the rice culture life cycle. They are the largest tribe in Liberia, the most recent and accurate estimate being that of the 1962 governmental census which places their number at 211,081 or twenty percent of Liberia’s population (Kory 1970-17:60).
Throughout this research, I established that the PORO and SANDE were the two traditional practices that brought pride to the Kpelle Tribe and contributed to a decent living condition. It was difficult to see a typical Kpelle man or woman who was not part of the PORO and Sande before the emergence of western education. The PORO and SANDA were the first set of educational system established before the emergence of western education.
