Kwi is a

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

n term used to connote Westernization, adherence to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

(versus indigenous religions), a Westernized first name and surname, literacy through a Western-style education, and adherence to a cash economy instead of a subsistence economy, regardless of an individual's ethnic origin. However, it has historically denoted strong adherence to Americo-Liberian cultural norms, although one need not identify as ethnically Americo-Liberian in order to be kwi.

Etymology

The term kwi has roots in the Kpelle word ''kwi-nuu'' (foreigner or civilized person). The Kpelle tribal members defined kwi as a person who spoke fluent English and wore Western attire. They also associated kwi status with

Monrovia Monrovia () is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia’s total population. As the ...

, Liberia's capital city, which they referred to ''kwi-taa'' (foreigner town or civilized town). The

Kru KRU was a Malaysian pop boy band formed in 1992. The group comprises three brothers, namely Datuk Norman Abdul Halim, Datuk Yusry Abdul Halim and Edry Abdul Halim'. Apart from revolutionising the Malaysian music scene with their blend of pop, ...

tribe also used the term kwi to identify the Americo-Liberian settlers - many of whom were

mulatto (, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese is ...

es - and it was the same word that Krus used to describe whites.

Evolution of the term

The term was first used in the 1800s by indigenous Africans to identify Americo-Liberian settlers and any other foreigners as outsiders not indigenous to the area. However, the term was adopted by Americo-Liberians as a synonym for civilized. Indigenous Africans later adopted the new definition as a result of missionary education and labor migration along Liberia's coast. Before the Liberian Civil War, the most important feature of Liberian social stratification was civilization, with kwi status as the determining factor. Kwi status was defined by Americo-Liberians by family background, education, church membership (particularly in a mainstream

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

denomination), and other social relationships. Kwi status became a prerequisite for a favored position among the Americo-Liberian elite, where indigenous Africans were often sponsored by Americo-Liberian families to acquire kwi status and advance in Liberian society.

Religious usage

In a religious context, the term kwi connotes a style of worship of a particular Christian church which is marked by formality and decorum. Services in churches considered to be non-kwi have more outward spiritualist expression, with dancing and even street processions in colorful costumes as key elements. Non-kwi churches also have self-proclaimed prophets who interpret dreams and visions, and prioritize a direct experience with the Holy Spirit. Liberia's educated elite have historically regarded the apostolic churches as churches of the uneducated and thus non-kwi.Liberia Country Study, "The Christianity of Indigenous Africans", GlobalSecurity.org
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References

{{Reflist Culture of Liberia Social history of Liberia Religion in Liberia