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Message:: [QUOTE="Clinker, post: 426078, member: 6229"]When someone says "Primitive Money" what do you think of? Cowrie Shells, Tobacco, Tools, Weapons, Chinese Syche, Knife and Spade Money, African Spear Money or Aztec Hoe Money? Something before Ancient? Well, you are about to be introduced to a "Primitive Money" that came into being during the late 1800s in tribal Africa and remained in use right up to 1964 in the modern nation of Liberia. When this "Primitive Money" circulated at its zenith, it was in use in the regions now known as Sierra Leone and Guinea. It is believed the Kissi Tribe invented this "Primitive Money." Therefore it is referred to as the Kissi Penny, but found use by the Bandi, Gbandia, Gola, Kpelle, Loma, Mandingo and Mende Tribes. An unusual characteristic of this Kissi Penny is the belief by all members of the tribes mentioned above that each Kissi Penny has a soul. Since it was endowed by its minter with the sanctity of a soul, if one broke, it could no longer circulate and had no value. However its soul could be restored by the Zoe (traditional witch doctor). For a fee, the Zoe would perform a ceremony, rejoin the pieces with the aid of a few blacksmith tools, and reincarnate the escaped soul. As you look at the photo (courtesy of Pom Export ) imagine it being in different lengths from 9 inches to 15 inches. Also, besides single units, imagine them bundled together by cotton or rawhide strips in quantities of 5, 10, 20, 50 or even more.  Here's a photo: <a href="http://www.pomexport.com/C%20-20Africa_KissiTwists/PCC-Africa_KissieTwists.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.pomexport.com/C%20-20Africa_KissiTwists/PCC-Africa_KissieTwists.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.pomexport.com/C%20-20Africa_KissiTwists/PCC-Africa_KissieTwists.jpg</a> After being replaced by Western currencies, the use of Kissi Money became virtually limited to ritual ceremonies such as on the occasion of the return of young men and women from the bush schools (Poro and Sande schools) or for sacrifices and divination ceremonies. It also serves for making protective fetishes and to decorate the graves of old warriors. Still many people still believe the old money possesses magical powers. Hence, according to many tribal Liberians, the Kissi Money still is "money with a soul."   To give you an idea of the Kissi Penny's worth, during the early 1900s you'd need 1,000 to buy a bull, 1,500 for a wife and 5,000 to purchase a hard working slave. Hope you enjoyed... Clinker[/QUOTE]

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