Since 1991 · 1991–today
Masks,societiesandfaith
The Sande (Bondo) and Poro societies and their masquerades, nomoli and minsereh figures, and the churches and mosques. Pictures of society matters stay behind a notice, out of respect.
Many were made by colonial officials, missionaries and foreign visitors. Titles and descriptions come from the collections that hold them and can carry the attitudes and language of their time. We show them as historical records, not as endorsements. Dates, eras and categories were assigned automatically from those records and some will be wrong. If you or your family appear in a picture, you hold rights to one, a detail is wrong, or you think a picture should not be here, press “Report this picture” under it: your note reaches our editors with the picture attached, and they can take it down straight away. You can also write to hello@dt-ets.com.
Children with their writing boards at a Qur'an school 2025
Fula children at a Qur'an school, wooden writing boards in hand: the same kind of board Thomas Winterbottom saw in use near Freetown in 1803.
ODC-SIERRA-LEONE · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Brooklyn Museum 2004.77.1 Gbini Mask
Brooklyn Museum · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
MAAOA: Mende mask
Original title: MAAOA Masque Mendé
Rvalette · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende helmet mask 2011
Original title: Mende-Maskenhelm
MittlererWeg · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende Bundu mask, Musée de la Compagnie des Indes 2012
Original title: Masque Bundu Mende-Musée de la Compagnie des Indes
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende helmet mask (Sierra Leone), World Museum, Liverpool
Rept0n1x · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Figure, Mende - Glenbow Museum - DSC00236
Daderot · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Minsere figure, Mende - Glenbow Museum - DSC00260
Daderot · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Sande mask, Mende - Glenbow Museum - DSC00248
Daderot · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Sowei mask, Mende - Glenbow Museum - DSC00251
Daderot · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Female figure, Mende, Sierra Leone, Musée du quai Branly
Original title: Statuette féminine, Mendé, Sierra Leone, Musée du quai Branly
Anonymous Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
2014 05 15 Deputy SRCC Arrival EDITS-1 (14191071725) 2014
AMISOM Public Information · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Dr. Jill Biden's 2014 Trip to Africa 2014
David Lienemann · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Leptopelis macrotis, a tree frog in the Gola Rainforest 2014
Original title: Leptopelis macrotis (10.3897-zse.90.7120) Figure 2 (cropped)
Roedel M, Emmrich M, Penner J, Schmitz A, Barej M (2014) The taxonomic status of two West African Leptopelis species: L. macrotis Schiøtz, 1967 and L. spiritusn · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende mask of the Sande initiation, Musée du quai Branly (1)
Original title: Mendé-Masque de l'initiation du Sandé-Musée du quai Branly (1)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende mask of the Sande initiation, Musée du quai Branly (2)
Original title: Mendé-Masque de l'initiation du Sandé-Musée du quai Branly (2)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende mask of the Sande initiation, Musée du quai Branly (3)
Original title: Mendé-Masque de l'initiation du Sandé-Musée du quai Branly (3)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende mask of the Sande initiation, Musée du quai Branly (4)
Original title: Mendé-Masque de l'initiation du Sandé-Musée du quai Branly (4)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Mende mask of the Sande initiation, Musée du quai Branly (5)
Original title: Mendé-Masque de l'initiation du Sandé-Musée du quai Branly (5)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Sierra Leone, Mende, helmet mask for the Sande society, 20th century, 01
Original title: Sierra leone, mende, maschera-elmo per l'associazione sande, xx secolo 01
Sailko · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Sierra Leone, Mende, sowo mask, 19th–20th century
Original title: Sierra leone, mende, maschera sowo, xix-xx secolo
Sailko · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Paneum: African field guardian figure
Original title: Paneum - Afrika Feldwächter
Wolfgang Sauber · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Venuses from Kangari Hills 2019
Vandie Nabie. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Venuses from Kangari Hills in the shipping box 2019
Vandie Nabie. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
The Bondo ceremony of the Mendes of Sierra Leone. 01 2020
1Hamidu2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
The Bondo ceremony of the Mendes of Sierra Leone. 02 2020
1Hamidu2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
The Bondo ceremony of the Mendes of Sierra Leone. 03 2020
1Hamidu2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
The Bondo ceremony of the Mendes of Sierra Leone. 04 2020
1Hamidu2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
The Bondo ceremony of the Mendes of Sierra Leone. 05 2020
1Hamidu2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
The Bondo ceremony of the Mendes of Sierra Leone. 06 2020
1Hamidu2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Sierra Leone Formed Police Unit in Kismayo 2021 (51796376406) 2021
AMISOM Public Information · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Minsereh figure, British Museum 2022
Original title: Figura minsereh, British Museum
Jl FilpoC · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Male head-Sierra Leone (British Museum) (1)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Male head-Sierra Leone (British Museum) (2)
Ji-Elle · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
This picture shows a Poro or Sande (Bondo) society ceremony, dancer or object. Some of what the societies do is for members only; it is shown here for its history
Post-initiation dance, Rogbonko, Sierra Leone 2024
Jonathanbwilson1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Armenia - 61850 2024
The Office of the President of the Republic of Armenia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
David Lammy, Penny Wong, and Timothy Kabba at CHOGM 2024 - 000173679 2024
Alexandra Peek / Samuel Phelps / DFAT · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Children studying Arabic (Fullah Culture) 2025
ODC-SIERRA-LEONE · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Timothy Kabba at CHOGM 2024 - 000173752 (cropped) 2024
Alexandra Peek / Samuel Phelps / DFAT · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture
White wedding ceremony in Sierra Leone culture 2026
Paul Lamin Musa · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗ · Report this picture