Guinea

The Republic of Guinea is located on the west coast of Africa. Its numerous ethnic groups form a key basis for social identity. Kinship, occupation, and religious affiliation are also important bases for social networking. Social activities include folk arts, performance arts, and sports. Access to modern mass media and the Internet is limited by expense and lack of infrastructure.

Guinea is divided into four geographical areas: the coastal region, the central region, the upper region, and the forest region, which contain numerous ethnic groups. A poor transportation infrastructure enhances the rural-urban divide. Kinship is important in Guinean society, and many family households contain multiple generations or polygamous families. Childrearing is viewed as a communal responsibility. Even those not related by blood are often referred to by familial terms such as brother or sister to indicate a social bond.

Religious affiliation is another key determinant of one's social identity. Islam is the predominant religion. Others include Christianity, notably Catholicism, and indigenous religions. Many Guineans blend the practices of different religions. Religious members socialize at services, holidays, and ceremonies. Rites of passage such as coming-of-age ceremonies and funerals are social occasions. Many congregations also work together for fundraising or construction projects. Hierarchical secret societies such as the Poro for men and Sande for women are important social organizations among many west African ethnic groups. They initiate men and women into their adult social roles through the passage of secret knowledge shared only by initiated members, who oversee the social and political norms of the wider society.

Many Guinea residents construct a social identity in part based upon their occupation, which is often determined by ethnic group, class, education, gender, and age [Page 342]Examples include Senegalese merchants, artisans, and tailors, European embassy and nongovernmental organization (NGO) workers, and Lebanese commercial businessmen. Most Guineans operate within informal economic networks. There is a small affluent population, who generally reside in urban areas such as Conakry and are marked through their education, occupation, and material possessions. Among the poorer classes, NGOs provide an important network of resources for assistance in areas such as health, education, economic development, women's issues, and refugee aid.

Formal and informal trade networks form an important part of the everyday economy, although a poor transportation infrastructure hinders its full development. Trade unions are active in Guinea, as are peasant organizations. Women's trade associations are an important source of funding and assistance with market access. The extraction of bauxite, diamonds, iron, and minerals have resulted in the formation of smuggling networks, as has the rise of west Africa as an intermediary stop in the transportation of illegal drugs such as cocaine from Latin America to Europe.

Political repression and censorship limit political networks and access to the social media. The military employs many young men, and military networks are key components to gaining and holding onto political power. Many older military veterans who served in the French army during World War II belong to veterans clubs. The influx of over 600,000 refugees escaping the conflicts in nearby Liberia and Sierra Leone became a social issue when many were robbed in the aftermath of a 2000 speech by President Lansana Conte, who accused them of harboring rebels. Guineans also blame them for rising crime rates and the smuggling of arms and drugs.

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