The Temne, speakers of a language close to Baga and Landuma, hold the country between the Kolente (Great Scarcies) and the Rokel in later times, under village chiefs and headmen, with the Poro and Ragbenle societies sharing authority.
Whether they had already come down from the Futa Jallon by 1 January 1200 is disputed: on Taylor's dating they had, on the older dating they had not, and the Bullom held more of the north. Drawn in their later lands with that caveat.
Who holds it
- Title
- Village chiefs and headmen; the Poro and Ragbenle societies
- Since
- Not known
- Confidence
- low
Temne tradition brings them from the Futa Jallon. Wikipedia dates the move to the fifteenth century (flagged as dubious) but cites Bankole Taylor (2014) for the eleventh or twelfth century. The first written record is Pacheco Pereira (1505-1508). The four Temne 'kingdoms' of the Mane conquest are mid-sixteenth century.
How things stand that morning
Not known whether they are yet in Sierra Leone.
Customs
Decentralised chiefdoms; inherited headmanship; Poro, Bondo and Ragbenle societies (later evidence).
Assemblies
Chiefs with their councils and the societies (later evidence).
Where the sources disagree
- Arrival eleventh-twelfth century (Taylor 2014) against fifteenth century (older view, disputed).
Evidence: Tradition; first written mention 1505-1508.
On the map: Back-projected; may be Bullom or Limba ground in 1200.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.