A growing library of guides, audio, video, and links to help diaspora members and supporters connect with Mende language, heritage, and culture.
Whether you're just beginning to learn a few words or deepening your understanding of ancestral traditions, these materials are here to support your journey. Resources are freely accessible to all members of the collective.
A complete lesson plan with 13 structured lessons — greetings, pronouns, tenses, dialogues, proverbs, and a full vocabulary library. Start from the vowels and progress at your own pace.
Everyday vocabulary organized by theme — family, greetings, food, and nature.
Visit siteNative speaker recordings for correct pronunciation of common words and phrases.
Open resourcePractical phrases for greetings, introductions, and daily conversation.
Open resourceIndiana University's beginning Mende language course — lessons, vocabulary, and exercises.
Visit siteTranscribed elder testimonies preserving family lineages and ancestral stories.
Visit siteDocumentary footage of traditional ceremonies, naming customs, and communal gatherings.
Open resourceA curated collection of proverbs with translations and cultural context.
Open resourceShared archival document on Mende oral and written history.
Visit siteShared archival document on Mende oral and written history.
Visit siteHow to register your kit ID and identify shared family branches within the network.
Open resourcePractical guidance for visiting Sierra Leone — customs, contacts, and town visits.
Open resourceA walkthrough for new members to navigate the collective and get involved.
Open resourceOfficial membership application form for joining the MƐNDE MBONDA collective. Complete the form and email it to MendeBonde@gmail.com.
Visit siteTrace maternal and paternal lineages across Africa — a common starting point for Mende descendants.
Visit siteConnect with relatives, explore ethnicity estimates, and build family trees from your DNA results.
Visit siteGenetic health and ancestry reports, with DNA relatives tools to help locate diaspora family connections.
Visit siteOverview of the Mende language, its structure, and linguistic history.
Visit siteExternal archives and historical records on the Mende people and Sierra Leone.
Visit siteHistorical research on the early inhabitants of the Grain Coast region, including the Mande peoples of Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Visit siteTools and databases to support diaspora members in tracing lineage.
Open resourceOur library grows through community contributions. If you have guides, recordings, or links that could help others, we'd love to include them.
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