[2] Some may have also migrated, along with the Mende ethnic group, as political refugees from Guinea in the mid-16th century due to the Mandingo expansion.

[3] After moving to Liberia, the Gbandi settled in the county of Lofa, in the northern part of the country.

[4] The population is estimated at 107,000 people; of which many fled to Guinea and Sierra Leone during the Liberian Civil War.

[8] Young men and boys are typically responsible for the family's animals, usually cattle, sheep, and goats.

[7] The Gbandi live in what one anthropologist calls "a reciprocal obligatory society" between families in regards to marriage and lifestyle.

[8] In the past, Gbandi Chiefs could have anywhere from thirty to fifty wives, which was meant to be reflective of the size of his rice fields.

A woman's romantic or physical relationship with another man elevates her social status, as she is seen as presitigous and desirable.

Gbandi also believe that children are the reincarnations of ancestors and family, and thus childbirth is common.

[8] A child in Gbandi culture refers to an infant who still relies primarily on the mother for feeding and cannot walk to talk.

Adolescent boys may choose to engage in marriage contracts with other male friends, as a show of lasting friendship, and to ensure that their children marry into each other's families.

[8] The Gbandi believe in a polytheistic structure of religion, that permeates into every aspect of everyday life.