Research on Sierra Leone

*English is Sierra Leones official lanaguage but only the educated can speak it
*Portuguese explorers named it Sierra Leone for the crashing noise the waves made against the peninsular mountains.
*People usually hiss to get people's attention and say Ah Sey! ( I say).
* O holidays children usually go door-to-door, sing, or dance asking for money.

Their flag consists of three horizontal stripes and the colors are green, white, and blue. The green represents the resources of the land/earth, the white peace, and the blue the coastal waters.

Religion
Muslims make up 60 percent of the population. Most adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam. Today, 10 percent of Sierra Leoneans are Christian. Religious affiliation crosses ethnic and family lines. Sierra Leoneans of different faiths live in harmony because of their willingness to accept various beliefs as part of their eclectic (rather than exclusive) approach to religion. Most people believe in a supreme being, lesser deities, and a spirit world. Approximately 30 percent of the population practices traditional beliefs exclusively. Those who convert to a formal religion also usually retain traditional animist beliefs, especially because animism (the belief that spirits inhabit both living things and inanimate objects) is tied to daily life. Participation in secret societies, where socio-religious activities take place, is high—even among Christians and Muslims. For example, nearly all women participate in the secret Bondo society, where they dance, initiate new members, and share lessons about womanhood.

General attitudes
Sierra Leoneans identify first with their ethnic group and then with Sierra Leone, which residents often refer to as Salone.People tend to be realistic and practical about their circumstances, which enables them to bear difficult situations. Two common Krio expressions are Na so God say (It is God's will) andOw fo do? (What can you do?), to which the response is Na fo biah (You must bear it).Education is valued as the key to a better way of life. Urban people strive for material wealth because it is a sign of security. There isn't much of a hierarchy, but people of wealth are usually respected more. 

Personal Appearance
Men and boys usually wear Western-style clothing. Rural women wear lappas, two yards of ankle-length cloth tied about the waist and topped with an African or Western blouse. The women's heads are often covered, wrapped with fabric that matches the lappa. The fabric is typically brightly colored cotton cloth imported from Europe and Asia. Urban women may wear trousers or skirts. Outside of urban areas, shorts are rarely worn by anyone except young boys. A growing number of urban teenage girls wear shorts. Young urban professionals typically wear Western clothing in addition to more traditional attire. A young man may wear a Western-style suit one day and a traditional kaftan (a long-sleeved shift that extends past the knee) the next.Maintaining a good appearance, regardless of the weather or one's wealth, is a priority. On special occasions, people wear traditional clothing, often made from gara (locally dyed cotton brocade) and batik (fabric printed by coating with wax the areas not to be dyed).

Gestures
Woman can't whistle because it is considered disrespectful. To express displeasure in a ride way people may suck teeth. Members of the same sex usually stay close together holding hands or maintaining close body contact when talking ( it is rare for members of the opposite sex to do this).

Eating
Traditional meals usually are served on a large platter with a bed of rice and a smallamount of sauce 
in the center. The sauce is not mixed with the rice. Bones are left in thefood; soft ones are eaten and harder ones are put aside. In many homes, the husband may be served separately, while thewife and children eat together. When visitors are present, adults eat from the commonplatter; children may be given spoonfuls of rice in their hands or a separate bowl. Invillages, people eat with the right hand 
while squatting on the ground. In towns, spoonsand chairs are more common. People drink only after the meal. At the end of a meal, abowl of water is passed around for washing the face and hands. Restaurants aregenerally found only in cities. Roadside vendors sell foods such as bread and margarine,grilled meat and fish, fried potatoes, fried plantains, fruit, and roasted groundnuts(peanuts).

Marriage
pregnancy among young girls is common. Most rural marriages are arranged. In urban areas, the majority of young people choose their spouses, though certain ethnic groups (such as Fullahs, Madingos, and Susus) practice arranged marriage regardless of the area. Those who choose their own spouses still seek approval from their parents. Courtship is nearly always initiated by the man. 
Women do not generally approach men directly. Dating without intending to marry is accepted in urban areas but not in villages.Men wait to marry until they are financially able to support a wife. In villages, a marriage may be arranged at any age, but it does not formally take place until the girl reaches puberty. The prospective husband agrees to pay the bride's parents a marriage payment after a great deal of negotiating and, sometimes, input from the whole village. In recent years, the bride price has become less important as parents are more concerned with finding a good match for their daughter and ensuring that the man is able to support a wife. Engagements are 
important ceremonies in which the two families gather and the bride price is paid. The prospective groom usually does not attend the engagement ceremony because this is a chance for the older members of his family to meet and assess the girl's family without being swayed by the man's feelings.
Polygamy is common among Muslims and traditional rulers but is not practiced by Christians. Infidelity in men is both widespread and tolerated. Women are generally seen as more committed in 
relationships, and it would be shameful for a woman to have an extra-marital affair. Divorce is 
extremely rare in rural areas but happens occasionally in the cities. There is considerable stigma associated with divorce, and many people find it difficult to remarry after a divorce.

Education
Primary school begins at age six. Entrance to secondary school is determined by students' scores on the National Primary School Certificate (NPSC). Secondary school is divided into two levels: lower (which students begin at age 11 or 12) and upper (which begins at age 14 or 15 and ends at age 18 or 19). Students take the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in order to proceed from 
lower to upper secondary school. In upper secondary school, students may choose certain electives 
while still studying the basic subjects.

When family resources are limited, parents usually choose to send boys to school rather than girls. Boys may also be more encouraged to study, while girls usually are expected to help with a greater share of the household chores. Many children must earn their own school fees because their families cannot afford to pay them. About 70 percent of girls and nearly 80 percent of boys complete primary school. About one-third of students enroll in secondary schooling, where the completion rate is quite low.

Local education, “bush schools,” or secret societies teach children skills and customs perceived as necessary by village elders. Such training prepares children to join society as adults.
Few students go on to higher education. In order to enter university, students must pass the West African Senior School Certificate Exam, which is taken by students in English-speaking countries throughout West Africa. Sierra Leone has several teacher-training colleges and universities.