From palava huts to TikTok: How Liberians are preserving their past
Summary
Young Liberians are using social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and podcasts to share and preserve their country’s history and culture. This digital approach helps continue the tradition of storytelling that was disrupted by Liberia’s civil wars and urban migration.Key Facts
- Liberia’s history was traditionally passed down by elders through storytelling and ceremonies.
- The country does not have the formal griot tradition found in some West African regions, but elders played a similar role.
- Liberia experienced two civil wars between 1989 and 2003, killing about 250,000 people and disrupting cultural transmission.
- Urban migration has increased, with nearly half of the urban population internally migrating, reducing community-based storytelling.
- Young Liberians are now using digital media to document and share their history and culture.
- Archive Liberia, led by Bilphena Decontee Yahwon, is one project working to preserve Liberian history through research and public storytelling.
- Digital platforms allow Liberian stories to reach audiences both inside the country and across the Liberian diaspora worldwide.
- This shift from traditional to digital storytelling is seen as an evolution of culture, rather than a loss.
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