Vai

Historical linguistic studies have established that in ancient times the Vai-speaking people lived in the northern region of Mande. During those earlier times, the Vai and Kono people probably descended from a common ancestor. Some conjecture that, at some point, the Vai and Kono split. The reasons for that split, however, are not clear. Some suggest it occurred as a result of a search for salt on the part of some members of the group: Those who went in search of salt would have become the Vai people, whereas those who stayed might have constituted the Kono people. Another hypothesis is that the Vai split from the Kono because of migration, trade, and conquest. In any case, the Vai people currently reside on the coasts of Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Momoru Doalu Bukere is honored as the inventor of the Vai script. The original script was composed of pictograms, which included spirits, humans, parts of human bodies, animals, plants, and water. Dots were used to convey plurality. This system of writing is similar to the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) writing system. In his article “The Vai Script,” Klingenheben provides several examples of the original script. One example of a pure ideogram is a withered tree with drooping branches to represent “death,” “to die,” or “to kill.” Messages might be left for villagers by drawing pictures on the bark of trees. For example, to alert absent villagers of enemies in the immediate territory, a picture of a man sitting down was drawn to indicate a single man, but for a large number of men, several dots were placed beside this figure. The script evolved to include alphabets, and as late as 1975, Goody, Cole, and Scribner reported that records regarding religious affairs were written in the local Vai script and language.

Although Islam is the official religion, many traditional beliefs continue nonetheless to be followed. The name of the Creator God in Vai is Kanim'ba or Kam'ba, which means “celestial space,” or Kan'ba, which means “big space.” Kanim'ba is the creator of all things and is the controller of Earth and everything in it. God is manifested through spirits and nature.

The Vai perform traditional ceremonies for the Dead, which include the practice of leaving clothing and food near the grave of the deceased. Ancestors play a critical role in African life in general; therefore, many Vai believe that the spirits of ancestors can enter into animate or inanimate beings. Magic is practiced by many Vai people. Magic can be used for good or evil purposes, and it can have an impact on the individual, the family, or the society as a whole.

The Vai people maintain and transmit their religious traditions to the younger members of the group through stringent initiation processes.

The traditional school for Vai boys is Polo or Pòro society. In the Vai language, the boys' institution is called bélí, and one who has been inducted into it is known as a béli kàì, “initiated man.” Sessions are held in a special section of the forest called béli fila. The society is highly structured: A dà za, for example, is the leader who [Page 685]stands at the mouth or head of the bélí fila. Other officials take on various responsibilities in the educational process.

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