Photo by @petekmuller/@prime_collective for @natgeo. Young students listen to a #French lesson in the village of #Meliandou in southeastern #Guinea. The native language in this part of Guinea is #Kissi, a language also spoken by Kissi communities in neighboring #SierraLeone and #Liberia. Guinea has over 40 languages, however, French remains the official language as a result of French colonial rule, which lasted until 1958. Only a few dozen miles away, in Sierra Leone, Kissi children learn #English as a result of historic colonial rule by the #British. The borders that currently define the African continent were mostly drawn by European colonial powers and considered colonial interests rather the cohesion and well being of existing linguistic communities. In many instances, colonial borders ensnared groups of adversaries and divided communities that belonged together. This dynamic has played a role in #conflict and instability across the continent. #Africa #colonialism #language #education #modern
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