The Lorma, also written Loma, represented 4.8% of Liberia’s population in the 2022 census. Communities are concentrated in Lofa County and continue across the border into Guinea.
Language and names
Loma/Lorma is a Mande language within the Niger-Congo family. Reference works record spellings including Loma, Lorma, Looma, and Loghoma. “Lorma” is familiar in Liberian public usage, while “Loma” is common in linguistic catalogues. The different spellings should be preserved as search terms rather than treated as different peoples.
History, writing, and cultural life
Lorma history belongs to the cross-border Upper Guinea region and predates the Liberia–Guinea boundary. Farming, trade, migration, intermarriage, and relationships with neighboring Kissi, Gbandi, Kpelle, Manding, and other communities have shaped local history.
An Indigenous script for Loma was developed in the twentieth century and is an important subject for expanded research and community review. Oral history, music, dance, farming knowledge, craftsmanship, family networks, and religious life remain central areas of cultural transmission.