Pre-war images of Sierra Leone taken between 1987 and 1990. See what the country looked like when I lived there. Categories include snapshots, panoramas, currency, and product labels.
Snapshots
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Bangura family
Bangura family
Bangura family
Bangura family
Mount Bintumani
Fula bread sellers
Chet with friend
Chet with snack
Cloudburst
Eddie Kargbo's house
Fatu Dumbuya
100% inflation
Jay's Entertainment Spot: Man about town
Kabangalo: My home
Kabba River
On the road to Kadabi
Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital
Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital
KWSS staff outing
KWSS physics students
Kamakwie Wesleyan Secondary School
Kamakwie Wesleyan Secondary School
Kamakwie Wesleyan Secondary School
Near Mongo Bendugu: Abraham and Ishmail
Near Mongo Bendugu: Lion
Kabba Ferry near OKNP
Pampa on Great Scarces
Poyo (palm wine)
Rainbow
Rainbow
Rice planting
Rice planting
Rice harvest
Rice threshing
Rice fanning
Pa Pendoi
Rokulan Mosque
Sama Kamara: Herbalist
Christmas revelers
Christmas devil
Panoramas
You can only view these images one at a time by clicking on the appropriate thumbnail. Panoramas range in width from 1100 to 2400 pixels.
Dry season
Rainy season
Another stunning sunset from Kabangalo. Crepuscular rays formed by distant hills
Space Imaging Radar swath, Eastern Sierra Leone from Guinea to Liberia (Source: NASA/JPL)
Currency
Some of the coins and bills that were in circulation from 1997 to 1990. Several other bills were in circulation at that time, but none of the ones I have were in good enough condition to scan. An inflation rate around 100% per year rendered all the coins in this set worthless by 1990. I never bought anything that cost less than one leone while I was there. By 1996, the 10 and 50 leone bills were replaced with coins.
½ Cent (1964): Milton Margai
1 Cent (1964): Milton Margai
5 Cent (1964): Milton Margai
20 Cent (1984): Siaka Stevens
1 Leone (1987): J.S. Momoh
50 Cent (1984): Siaka Stevens, Bank of Sierra Leone
2 Leone (1984): Siaka Stevens, Bank of Sierra Leone