Skip to Main Content

Sierra Leone Videos

These archival films were recorded by Dr. William Hommel during his four research trips to Sierra Leone, Africa. He carried out research among the Mende during the summers of 1971, 1973, 1976, and 1978.

Art of the Mende
"Art of the Mende" is an archival film about the Mende people of Sierra Leone, filmed in the mid-1970s. Content includes village life, women's societies dances, a village ritual dance, and carving and creation of a mask.

The film is in color, with sound, 8mm film, 9 minutes and 44 seconds long, made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The film is labelled NEHProduction-Part1.avi.

Jobia and Goboi Dances
This archival footage shows scenes from ritual dances of Jobia and Goboi in the village of Tanninihun, Sierra Leone, Africa, sometime between 1971 and 1978. The dances are followed by short clips of village life. It was shot on 8mm film saved in a digital format. The digital format is labelled "Africa Cuts and Trims.avi." The length is 15 min, 37 seconds. There is no sound. The film was shot by UCO faculty emeritus Dr. William Hommel.

This footage is part of the African Art collection in Archives & Special Collections, Chambers Library, at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Morning in Tanninihun
This archival footage shows scenes from a morning in the village of Tanninihun, Sierra Leone, Africa, sometime between 1971 and 1978. It was shot on 8mm film saved in a digital format. The length is 5 min, 32 seconds. There is no sound. The film was shot by faculty emeritus Dr. William Hommel.

This footage is part of the African Art collection in Archives & Special Collections, Chambers Library, at the University of Central Oklahoma.


Sound Files

Kenema Bunda Girls BO Airport Hodges - mono sound (.wav converted to .mp3)

Ghendely ManoNjebla Kenema - mono sound (.wav converted to .mp3)

Gongoli Nafati - mono sound (.wav converted to .mp3)