KAKATA — The Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Emmanuel King-Yarkpawolo Urey, served as keynote speaker over the weekend at the first anniversary program of the National Association of the Kpelleh and Kpelleh Speaking People in Kakata, Margibi County.
The celebration brought together community leaders, traditional elders, women and youth groups, as well as invited guests from across Liberia to mark one year of promoting unity, cultural preservation and community engagement among the Kpelle people.
In his keynote address, Dr. Urey stressed unity, cultural identity, youth empowerment and national development, urging Liberians to preserve their heritage and work together for community progress.
Organizers said Dr. Urey was chosen because of what they described as his contributions to national development, education, environmental advocacy, peacebuilding and youth empowerment across Liberia.
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The anniversary also featured traditional performances, cultural displays, entertainment and remarks from community leaders, along with recognition for individuals who contributed to the group's growth during its first year.
Founded in May 2025, the National Association of the Kpelleh and Kpelleh Speaking People is described as Liberia's first nationwide umbrella body representing the Kpelle ethnic group.
The organization was established by several community leaders, including Acting Board Chairman Lepolu Torlon, with the aim of uniting Kpelle-speaking people across all 15 counties.
The Kpelle, known as Guerze in neighboring Guinea, are Liberia's largest Indigenous ethnolinguistic group, with sizable populations also in Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire.
Historical accounts say the Kpelle migrated from the western Sudan region, now Mali, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries before settling mainly in central Liberia.
The Kpelle have long been known for upland rice farming and strong community-based agricultural traditions.
Their traditional social structure remains closely tied to age-based institutions such as the Poro Society for men and the Sande Society for women, which play key roles in cultural education, initiation rites, conflict resolution and traditional governance.
According to organizers, the association was formed amid concerns over the gradual decline of traditional arts, cultural identity and social cohesion among Kpelle-speaking communities.
Leaders say the institution aims to promote cultural preservation, social advancement, community development and equality for Kpelle-speaking people in Liberia and abroad.
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As part of its founding resolutions, the organization declared the third Saturday of May as National Kpelleh Unification Day, an annual observance intended to celebrate Kpelle heritage, strengthen unity and honor the group's contribution to Liberia's socio-political and agricultural development.
Organizers described the anniversary as a major milestone reflecting the strength, identity and unity of the Kpelle community in Liberia and across the sub-region.
