International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Socio-Cultural Integration of Mandinka Ethnic Group in Liberia

The socio-cultural integration of the Mandinka people in Liberia traces its roots to the early arrival of Mandinka traders and Islamic clerics from Kankan, in present-day Guinea, to the Grain Coast region of West Africa. These early arrivals played pivotal role in the religious and cultural transformation of parts of Grain Coast, now Liberia. Historical accounts suggest that Mandinka clerics and traders often intermarried with indigenous women, many of whom were among the first local converts to Islam. This laid the foundation for the spread of Islamic faith and Mandinka cultural influence among the native populations. The Mandinka settled more successfully in the northern and western regions of Liberia, where they encountered indigenous groups with whom they shared certain cultural and linguistic similarities. This facilitated peaceful coexistence and cultural exchange, leading to the emergence of new hybrid languages such as Bopolu-Kpelleh and the increasing use of Arabic language for religious and scholarly purposes. In contrast to this trend, in southeastern Liberia—dominated by the Kwa-speaking ethnic groups—the Mandinka faced strong resistance, particularly in relation to religious integration. As a result, while Islam flourished in the north and west, Mandinka efforts in the southeast were largely limited to trade.