Temne people
Temne children in 1968
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|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (2,250,015 35% of Sierra Leone's population [1]) |
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| Regions with significant populations | |
 Sierra Leone(Port Loko District, Tonkolili District, Bombali District, Kambia District, Kenema District, Western Area) |
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| Languages | |
| Temne, Sierra Leone English, Krio | |
| Religion | |
| Islam (85%), Christianity (10%) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Limba, Loko, Gola |
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The Temne people, also called Time, Temen, Timni or Timmanee people, are a West African ethnic group. They are predominantly found in the northwestern and central parts of Sierra Leone, as well as the national capital Freetown. Some Temne are also found in Guinea. The Temne constitute the largest ethnic group in Sierra Leone, at 35% of the total population, which is slightly more than the Mende people at 31%. They speak the Temne, a Mel branch of the Niger–Congo languages.
The Temne people likely originated from the Futa Djallon area of Guinea, who left their original settlements to escape Fulani invasions and migrated south before settling between the Kolenté River and Rokel River area of Sierra Leone in the 15th century. Their traditional religion was Poro and Bondo, which incorporate secret initiation ceremonies. Islam arrived among the Temne in Sierra Leone with Muslim traders, and over time most Temne converted. During the colonial era, some converted to Christianity. Some have continued with their traditional religion.
The Temne are traditionally farmers, growing rice, cassava, millet and kola nut. Their cash crops include peanuts and tobacco. Some Temne are fisherman, artisans and traders. Temne society is patrilineal. It has featured a decentralized political system with village chiefs and an endogamous hierarchical social stratification. The Temne were one of the ethnic groups that were victims of slave capture and trading across the sub-Saharan and across the Atlantic into European colonies.
The Temne people constitute the largest ethnic group of Sierra Leone. Their largest concentrations are found in the northwestern and central parts of Sierra Leone, as well as the coastal capital city of Freetown. Some Temne are also found in Guinea. At 35% of the total population, the CIA Factbook estimates their population in Sierra Leone to be over 2.1 million in 2016.
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