Beehive

A traditional beehive known as a gbonkan in Temne. These are constructed as cylindrical baskets from cane straw, which are then covered in mud and grass and bound with rope. They are place in trees where they attract colonies of bees then later removed and dismantled to remove the honey. They are more commonly found in the North of Sierra Leone. This example came from Borokoro in Tonkolili District.

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Further Information

• Type: Production equipment
• Object: Beehive
• Materials: Vegetable, organic fibre
• Culture Group: Temne
• Dimensions: 660mm [L]
• Production Date: Pre 1962
• Associated Places: Borokoro, Tonkolili District
• Associated People: Abu Bakarr Sesay, Freetown (Collector)
• Museum: Sierra Leone National Museum
• Accession Number: SLNM.1962.24.85

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