As a proud Sierra Leonean I just want to share a little about “D sai way ar komot” just a little about my sweet salone. I can get a bit fed up with the unrelenting negative stereotypes of the African continent generally spread by the mainstream media, and the damage this does to the perceptions of people who have never been. Whenever I meet someone for the first time and we get on to chatting about my heritage or my childhood and I say I am from Sierra Leone, the primary image in peoples minds is the film Blood diamond.
Sierra Leone is about the size of Ireland and within its borders it manages to squeeze in beeches, rainforests, mountains, savannah, grasslands, marshes, mangrove swamps and rivers into it’s relatively small 71,740km2. In this short post I have listed just a few of my countries positive attributes.
Diverse wildlife
Widely varied habitats support a wealth of flora and fauna, including some 15 primate species. You can get close to chimpanzees at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Please do visit
Cultural celebrations
Whether bewitched by the National Dance Troupe or joining the raucous Ma Dengn beach party, the lively Freetown festival scene will keep you partying well into the small hours. To find out more about our culture please check out http://www.sierraleoneheritage.org/
Pristine beaches along the Peninsula
Whatever your idea of seaside bliss, there is a beach here to match. Here are the top five (Not in order of preference).
- Lumley Beach
- Tokeh Beach
- Sussex Beach
- Bureh Beach
- River Number 2
Climbing the mist shrouded peak of Mount Bintumani
Mount Bintumani (also known as Loma Mansa) is the highest peak in Sierra Leone and the Loma Mountains, at 1,945 metres (6,381 ft). It lies in the Loma Mountains and its lower slopes are covered in rainforests, home to a wide variety of animals. These include pygmy hippopotamuses, dwarf crocodiles, rufous fishing-owls and numerous primates.
There’s lots to love about Sierra Leone. So please take time to explore it!