Kamajor Vest

A white poplin undervest decorated with charms or sebehs of different colours (four mauve, four green, eight red) on the inside, and Arabic script and magical tables on both the inside and outside. This was acquired by the Sierra Leone National Museum as part of a collection of garments used by the Kamajor Civil Defence Force during Sierra Leone's Civil War. The Kamajor militia drew upon traditional hunter-warrior law and used medicines and other esoteric knowledge to give them supernatural powers to protect themselves and make them more effective fighters.

Further Information

  • Type: Costume, dress, Religious/ritual equipment, charms
  • Object: Kamajor Vest
  • Materials: Textile, Vegetable, organic fibre
  • Culture Group: Other
  • Dimensions: 540mm [L] x 520mm [W]
  • Production Date: 1994-2001
  • Associated Places: Unknown
  • Associated People: Unknown
  • Museum: Sierra Leone National Museum
  • Accession Number: SLNM.2011.010.02

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