Bullom, Northern Bullom in Sierra Leone

Introduction / History

The Northern Bullom people also go by the names Bullom So or Bullom. They live mainly in Sierra Leone’s Northern Province of Sierra Leone. This is one of Sierra Leone’s largest ethnic groups. Their language is part of the Niger-Congo group of languages.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Northern Bullom people are usually fishermen or farmers. Others produce fine tools and ornaments out of iron. When they aren’t working, they enjoy music and dance.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Northern Bullom people are Sunni Muslims who believe that the supreme God, Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship.

The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah.

Sunni religious practices are staid and simple. They believe Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.

In most of the Muslim world, common people depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well they live on a daily basis. For that reason, some Muslims appease spirits using charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces. More orthodox Muslims consider these practices heretical and un-Islamic.

What Are Their Needs?

They are facing the challenges of environmental degradation, which makes farming and fishing less productive. Economically, the countries of West Africa are dealing with the onslaught of globalization, which does not favor them.

Prayer Points

Pray for Northern Bullom culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among their family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings.

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a disciple making movement among the Northern Bullom people.

Pray that soon the Northern Bullom people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the savior.

Text Source:   Joshua Project