Category Archives: Culture

A ‘Kru ring’ found in a thrift shop in the Netherlands

An extraordinary find Last week I received a letter from a fellow-Dutchman who lives in a remote region of the Netherlands. He wrote me that he had found a strange object in a local thrift shop. Attracted by its shape, … Continue reading

Posted in 'Dwin', 'Holland', 'tien', Arnoldus G., Brabant province, Culture, Europe, Fred J, garage sale, Germany, Gods of water, Grain Coast, Grebo, Grebo rings, Groningen province, Kru, Kru rings, Kru/Grebo rings, Liberia, Liberian History, nitien, research, Scott Sheppard, shipyard, the Netherlands, thrift shop, US, water spirits, Winschoten | Leave a comment

The mystery of the Kru or Grebo rings – Part II

In my April 7 post I drew attention to the lost history of the Kru or Grebo rings (‘nitien‘) that originate from eastern Liberia and, probably, from the adjacent western region of Ivory Coast though no such cases have ever … Continue reading

Posted in Abe Guenther, Barclayville, Culture, George Schwab, Grand Cess Territory, Grebo, Grebo rings, Harvard University, Horatio Bridge, Ivory Coast, Kru, Kru Coast, Kru money, Kru rings, Kru/Grebo rings, Liberia, Liberian History, Liberian Studies Journal, Mark Clayton, Nathaniel Hawthorne, nitien, Peabody Museum, Ritual Killings, Ronald Davis, Sasstown, Scott Shepperd, Siegman, Sven Holsoe, The Liberian Journal | Leave a comment

The mystery of the Kru or Grebo rings – Part I

The Kru speaking peoples of eastern Liberia The official number of tribes in Liberia is 16 but an estimated 31 different languages are spoken in the country. They usually are subdivided into three language groups: the West Atlantic or Mel … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, Barclayville, Culture, Grand Cess Territory, Grebo, Grebo rings, Horatio Bridge, Krahn, Kru, Kru Coast, Kru money, Kru rings, Kru/Grebo rings, Language groups, Liberia, Liberian Studies Journal, Malagueta Coast, Mark Clayton, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pepper Coast, Portugal, Portuguese traders, Ritual Killings, Ronald Davis, Sapo, Scott Shepperd, Siegman, Sven Holsoe, Vai | Leave a comment