karene

Karene is a term used in West Africa to refer to an ethnic group, their language, and a district in Sierra Leone. The Karene people are primarily found in Sierra Leone and Guinea; they are part of the larger Mande ethnolinguistic group, with a history rooted in West African trade networks and agrarian lifeways. Traditional social structures include local chiefs and lineage-based leadership, though modern governance and education systems are also in use.

The Karene language, also spelled Kerene or Krene in some sources, belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo family. It is spoken in communities by varying generations, with many speakers also fluent in Krio or other local languages. The language exhibits several dialects and is transmitted through families and communities.

Geographically, Karene District is an administrative district in Sierra Leone's Northwest Province. It comprises multiple chiefdoms and rural settlements, and its economy is largely based on subsistence and small-scale agriculture, including staples such as rice, cassava, and groundnuts, along with occasional mining and timber activities. Development efforts focus on improving roads, health, and education in the district.

Karene is also used as a personal name in the region, appearing in both given-name and surname usage among people of West African descent, and in diaspora communities.