Liberia: The ritual of burning car tires to usher into New Year!

Every New Year’s Eve in Town Square, New York, millions of people including tourists from across the world gather to watch the city’s elaborate fireworks, a way of ushering into the New Year. Similar captivating events simultaneously go on in Washington D.C., Sydney, Australia, and worldwide. In the Republic of Liberia, however, New Year’s fireworks nowadays, are completely different from those of the past. Now, youths pile up old car tires, set them ablaze in neighborhoods, streets corners, and along highways leading to the interior, to mark the coming in of the New Year. To many, including this writer, this is something new, and now an acceptable culture so much so that no part of the country is considered off-limits including Christian colleges and universities campuses or surroundings. Some say this carnival-style-celebration first started during ex-President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s era. Though seemingly peaceful, some non-participants argued it can look fearful, seeing a group of youths carrying petrol in small containers, and piling up tires at intersections before torching it off. Of course, they do so close to midnight (local time) so it coincides with the countdown, amid boozing, drumming, singing, and dancing, as were the scenes of January 1, 2025. It’s their way of showing gratitude for living to see another year-a ritual that will be repeated here next January 1st; Text & Photographs by James Kokulo Fasuekoi.