Vai people
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 240,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Liberia | 140,251 |
| Sierra Leone | 1,205 |
| Languages | |
| Vai • English • Krio • Gola | |
| Religion | |
| Islam majority • Christianity minority • | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Kono, Gola, Kpelle, Mende, Loma, Gbandi | |
The Vai are Mandé peoples that live mostly in Liberia, with a small minority living in south-eastern Sierra Leone. The Vai are known for their indigenous writing system known as the Vai syllabary, developed in the 1820s by Momolu Duwalu Bukele and other Vai elders. Over the course of the 19th century, literacy in the writing system became widespread. Its use declined over the 20th century, but modern computer technology has enabled a revival.
The Vai people speak the Vai language, which is one of the Mande languages. The Sierra Leonean Vai are predominantly found in Pujehun District around the Liberian border. Many Sierra Leonean villages that border Liberia are populated by the Vai. In total, about 1200 Vai live in Sierra Leone.