Some Gweabo Proverbs

Extract

In the eastern part of Liberia, both along the coast and for a considerable distance into the interior, is spoken the Gweabo language. The tribes that use it, with slight dialectic differences, live some distance west of the Cavally River, which is the dividing line between Liberia and the Ivory Coast, a French dependency, though some of the interior tribes extend also into French territory. These peoples are divided into five tribes: the Nyabo (with six divisions), the NlWie (English ‘Nimiah’, with three divisions), the Bolokwe (with three divisions), the Drebo (English ‘Tremble’), and the Gbwolo, Gwlobo. These five tribes, collectively known as Gweabo, are generally, but incorrectly, classed as ‘Grebo ’, which should be reserved for a coast tribe lying just east of the coast Gweabo and at the mouth of the Cavally. The true ‘Grebo’ are subdivided into six divisions and speak a language which is quite different from Gweabo, though closely related to it, being intermediate between it and Kru. The ‘Grebo’ are known as Gbwobo by the Gweabo-speaking tribes. West of the Grebo proper are found the Kru, who are termed Menãkwe by the Gweabo.