Sierra Leone • May 1, 2026 • Friday
Also known as: International Worker’s Day
International Workers’ Day, wey bɔku pipul dɛn sabi nɔmɔ as "May Day," na wan bɛtɛ de fɔ ɔl di wokman dɛn na Sierra Leone. Dis de nɔto jɔst holiday fɔ slip na os; na wan de wey de sho se wi rɛspɛkt di tranga wok wey di pipul dɛn de du fɔ mek di kɔntri go bifo. From di pipul dɛn wey de klin di strit, di ticha dɛn na skul, di nɔs dɛn na ospitul, to di wan dɛn wey de wok na bɛnk ɛn gɔvmɛnt ɔfis, dis na di de wey di wan ol kɔntri de sɔpɔt dɛm.
Di ɛsɛns fɔ dis de de dip pas wetin ai fɔ si. I de tɔk tɔk fɔ di rayt fɔ di wokman—mek dɛn gɛt gud ples fɔ wok, mek dɛn gɛt bɛtɛ pe, ɛn mek dɛn nɔ de trit dɛm bad. Na Sierra Leone, dis de de kam as wan tɛm fɔ tink bɔt di sakrifis wey bɔku pipul dɛn dɔn mek fɔ mek wi kɔntri gɛt di tin dɛn wey i gɛt tide. Pan ɔl wey Sierra Leone na kɔntri wey dɔn pas tru bɔku chalɛnj dɛn, di wokman dɛn na di wan dɛn wey de ol di kɔntri fɔ mek i nɔ fɔdɔm. So, May Day na de fɔ gi dɛn di ɔnɔ wey dɛn fit fɔ gɛt.
Di holiday de kɔmɔt fɔ di big labor movmɛnt dɛn wey bin de na di wɔl bɔku yias bifo dis. I de sho se wokman dɛn gɛt pawa we dɛn kam togɛda. Na Sierra Leone, di awɛnɛs bɔt wokman rayt de gro ɛvri de. Pipul dɛn de bɛgin fɔ ɔndastand se if di wokman nɔ gladi, di kɔntri nɔ go ebul fɔ divɛlɔp. So, dis de na sɔm tin wey de briŋ wanwɔd fɔ ɔl di labor yunian dɛn ɛn di pipul dɛn wey de wok fɔ dɛm sɛlf.
Fɔ di yia 2026, International Workers’ Day go de na di normal de wey i de de ɛvri yia. I nɔ de chenj.
Di De: Friday Di Det: May 1, 2026 Wetin lɛf: 73 de dɛn lɛf fɔ mek wi rich dis de.
Di de fɔ May Day fiks; i nɔ de chenj base on di mun ɔ di tɛm fɔ di yia. I de fɔdɔm na May 1st ɛvri yia. Bikos i de fɔdɔm na Friday na 2026, bɔku pipul dɛn de tink se dis na bɛtɛ tɛm fɔ gɛt wan lɔng wikɛnd fɔ rɛst. If yu de wok na Sierra Leone, yu fɔ dɔn de rɛdi yu sɛlf fɔ dis de wey yu go gɛt fɔ rɛst from di bɔku wok dɛn wey yu de du.
International Workers’ Day nɔ bɛgin na Sierra Leone, i bɛgin na di wɔl fɔ mɛmbe di tin dɛn wey apin na Chicago, America, na 1886. Di wokman dɛn bin de fɛt fɔ mek dɛn wok fɔ et (8) awa nɔmɔ na wan de, pas di bɔku awa dɛn wey dɛn bin de mek dɛn wok bifo. Dis fɛt bin tranga, ɛn bɔku pipul dɛn bin lɔs dɛn layf fɔ dis. Di labor movmɛnt na di wɔl disaid fɔ mek May 1st fɔ mɛmbe di sakrifis wey dɛn pipul dɛn de bin mek.
Na Sierra Leone, di labor movmɛnt gɛt in yon istri tu. From di tɛm wey di British bin de rula wi, di wokman dɛn bin dɔn de fɛt fɔ bɛtɛ trit mɛnt. Wi gɛt di Sierra Leone Labour Congress (SLLC) wey na di big bɔdi wey de tɔk fɔ di wokman dɛn. Tru di yias, dɛn dɔn fɛt fɔ mek gɔvmɛnt pas lɔ dɛn wey de protɛkt di wokman, mek mɛnimɔm wej (minimum wage) go ɔp, ɛn mek wokman nɔ de lus dɛn wok fɔ nɔtin nɔmɔ.
Pan ɔl wey wi nɔ gɛt bɔku buk dɛn wey rayt dɔŋ ɔl di tin dɛn bɔt labor istri na Sierra Leone, wi sabi se di pawa fɔ di wokman dɛn bin sho insay bɔku straik ɛn tɔk-tɔk dɛn wey dɔn apin na di kɔntri in istri. Workers’ Day na di tɛm wey di labor yunian dɛn de de tɛl di pipul dɛn bɔt di tin dɛn wey dɛn dɔn ebul fɔ du ɛn di wan dɛn wey dɛn stil de fɛt fɔ am.
Na Sierra Leone, di we wey wi de sɛlibret May Day smɔl difrɛn fɔ di oda kɔntri dɛn usay dɛn de du big big parade ɛn mɔl-mɔl tin dɛn. Fɔ wi na ya, i de mɔ na "low-key" pas fɔ de du bɔku nɔys.
Sierra Leone nɔ gɛt wan patikula kɔstɔm wey tay to May Day nɔmɔ, lek aw wi gɛt fɔ oda holiday dɛn. Bɔt, wi gɛt sɔm tin dɛn wey wi de du wey dɔn bɛgin fɔ bifɔm tradishɔn:
Di Redio Tɔk: Na tradishɔn fɔ mek di lida dɛn fɔ labor yunian dɛn kam na redio (lek SLBC) fɔ tɔk. Pipul dɛn de lisin fɔ yɛri if mɛnimɔm wej go go ɔp ɔ if gɔvmɛnt gɛt bɛtɛ nyus fɔ dɛm. Sɔpɔt fɔ Wokman: Na dis tɛm pipul dɛn de tɛl dɛn sef "Happy May Day" ɔ "Happy Workers’ Day." I de sho se wi gladi fɔ di wok wey wi ɔl de du. Beach Trips: If di wɛda gud, sɔm pipul dɛn na Freetown kin go na beach (lek Lumley Beach ɔ River No. 2) fɔ go rɛst. Bikos May Day de de na di tɛm wey dry sizun de dɔn, di beach kin fayn fɔ go rɛst smɔl bifo di bɔku ren bɛgin fɔ kam.
If yu na fɔren pipul wey de na Sierra Leone ɔ yu wan kam visit na May 2026, yu fɔ no sɔm tin dɛn:
Plan bifo tɛm: Bikos i na public holiday, mo bɔsiness dɛn go klos. If yu gɛt fɔ go na bɛnk, yu fɔ go bifo May 1st. If yu gɛt fɔ bay sɔmtin na big shop, dɛn nɔ go opin. Transpɔt: Transpɔt kin smɔl bit scas bikos bɔku draiva dɛn sɛlf de rɛst. If yu gɛt fɔ go far ples, tray fɔ arenj yu motoka bifo di de rich. Makit Pipul: Sɔm makit dɛn kin opin, bikos bɔku makit umun na Sierra Leone de wok fɔ dɛm sɛlf ɛn dɛn nɔ kin gladi fɔ mis wan de fɔ sɛl. So, yu go stil ebul fɔ bay sɔm it tin dɛn, bɔt di big big makit dɛn nɔ go ful-ap lek aw dɛn kin de. Gɔvmɛnt Ofis: No gɔvmɛnt ofis nɔ go opin. If yu gɛt fɔ du pepawok fɔ visa ɔ oda tin dɛn, yu nɔ go ebul du am na dis de. Salone Tɛm: Mɛmbe se tin dɛn de go slo na dis de. Nɔ ɛpɛkt fɔ mek tin dɛn rɔn fɛst-fɛst. Enjoy di kwayɛt tɛm.
International Workers’ Day na wan lɔgal public holiday na Sierra Leone. Dis min se:
Skul dɛn: Ɔl skul dɛn (primari, sɛkɔndri, ɛn yunivasiti) go klos. No pikin nɔ fɔ go skul. Bɛnk dɛn: Ɔl bɛnk dɛn go klos. ATM dɛn go wok, bɔt i bɛtɛ fɔ mek yu gɛt kash bifo di holiday bɛgin fɔ mɛksyua se yu nɔ gɛt prɔblɛm if di mɛshin nɔ wok. Gɔvmɛnt Wok: Ɔl gɔvmɛnt wokman dɛn gɛt di de of. Prɛvat Bɔsiness: Bɔku big kampani dɛn go klos. Smɔl smɔl shop dɛn kin opin fɔ sɔm tɛm, bɔt dɛn nɔ go de wok ful tɛm. Essential Services: Ospitul dɛn go opin fɔ emergency, ɛn di polis dɛn go de na strit fɔ mɛksyua se pis de. Di pipul dɛn wey de gi layt (EDSA) ɛn wata (Guma) go de wok tu, bɔt na smɔl tɛm dɛn go de na ofis.
Bikos May Day de fɔdɔm na Friday na 2026, i de gi bɔku pipul dɛn di chans fɔ gɛt wan lɔng wikɛnd. Dis na tin wey bɔku Sierra Leoneans de lɔv. I de gi dɛm tɛm fɔ go travɛl go na "up-country" fɔ go si dɛn fambul dɛn. For ɛgzampul, if yu de wok na Freetown, yu kin kɔmɔt Thursday nɛt ɔ Friday mɔnin fɔ go Makeni, Bo, ɔ Kenema, ɛn yu nɔ go gɛt fɔ kam bak pas Sunday nɛt.
Dis lɔng wikɛnd de ɛp di ɛkɔnɔmi na smɔl we tu, bikos pipul dɛn de spɛnd mɔni na transpɔt, na it, ɛn na fɔ si fambul dɛn. I de mek pipul dɛn rɛlaks bɛtɛ bifo dɛn bɛgin di nyu wik.
Pan ɔl wey wi de sɛlibret, wi fɔ mɛmbe se bɔku wokman dɛn na Sierra Leone stil de fes tranga tin dɛn. Di mɛnimɔm wej stil smɔl fɔ sɔm pipul dɛn fɔ ebul bay wetin dɛn nids bikos di prayis fɔ tin dɛn de go ɔp. Bɔku pipul dɛn de wok na "informal sector"—lek di wan dɛn wey de sɛl na makit, di wan dɛn wey de draiva okada, ɛn di wan dɛn wey de du fam wok. Dɛn pipul dɛn ya nɔ gɛt di sɔpɔt wey gɔvmɛnt wokman dɛn gɛt, lek pɛnshɔn (NASSIT) ɔ sick leave.
So, May Day na 2026 na tɛm tu fɔ mek wi tink bɔt aw wi go mek tin dɛn bɛtɛ fɔ dɛn pipul dɛn ya. Labor yunian dɛn fɔ kɔntinyu fɔ tɔk fɔ di wan dɛn wey nɔ gɛt vɔys. Di gɔvmɛnt sɛlf fɔ mɛksyua se dɛn de protɛkt di rayt fɔ ɛvri wokman, nɔto jɔst di wan dɛn wey de na ofis.
International Workers’ Day na Sierra Leone na wan de fɔ ɔnɔ, rɛst, ɛn rɛflɛkshɔn. I de sho se wi rɛspɛkt di tranga wok wey di pipul dɛn de du fɔ mek di kɔntri de rɔn. From di tɛm wey 73 de dɛn lɛf fɔ rich di holiday, i bɛtɛ fɔ mek wi ɔl bɛgin fɔ tink bɔt aw wi kin sho tɛnki to di pipul dɛn wey de wok fɔ wi—lek wi bɔy dɛn na os, wi draiva dɛn, ɛn di wan dɛn wey de klin wi ofis dɛn.
Na 2026, mek wi yuz dis May Day fɔ briŋ wanwɔd. Mek wi mɛmbe se nɔto di big tin dɛn nɔmɔ de mek kɔntri bifo, bɔt na di smɔl smɔl wok dɛn wey wi ɔl de du ɛvri de. Happy Workers’ Day to ɔl
Common questions about International Worker’s Day in Sierra Leone
Na Sierra Leone, dɛn de sɛlibret International Workers' Day pan Friday, May 1, 2026. If yu de luk frɔm January 5, i dɔn lɛf 73 dez fɔ mek di holiday rich. Dis na wan impɔtant de we di wan ol kɔntri de pɔs fɔ ɔnɔ di wokman dɛn we de ɛp fɔ bil di nɛshɔn. Bikɔs i fɔl pan wan Friday, bɔku pipul dɛn go gɛt di chans fɔ rɛst fɔ wan lɔng wikɛnd bifo dɛn go bak na wok.
Yes, International Workers' Day na wan nɛshɔn pɔblik holiday we di gɔvmɛnt dɔn fiks fɔ ɛvri year. Pan dis de, dɛn de kloz ɔl di skul dɛn, bɔku biznɛs dɛn, ɛn gɔvmɛnt ɔfis dɛn fɔ mek di wokman dɛn gɛt rɛst. I na wan de we di kɔntri de rɛkɔgnaiz di rits fɔ di pipul dɛn we de wok. Pan ɔl we bɔku ples dɛn de kloz, sɔm wokman dɛn we de du sɛntral wok, lɛk dɔktɔ dɛn ɛn dɛn wan we de kipsiti, kin wok smɔl fɔ ɛp di kɔmunity.
Dis holiday, we dɛn kin kɔl bak May Day, de fɔ kɔmɛmɔret di wok we labour movmɛnt dɛn dɔn du fɔ bɛtɛ di layf fɔ wokman dɛn na di wol. I de tɔk fɔ bɛtɛ working kɔndishɔn, rits fɔ wokman, ɛn fɔ rɛmɛmba di big tin dɛn we di labour yun dɛn dɔn du na Sierra Leone ɛn ɔda kɔntri dɛn. Dis holiday de sho se di wokman dɛn impɔtant fɔ di wan ol kɔntri in progres, ɛn i de sho di rɛspɛkt we dɛn gɛt fɔ di wan dɛn we de wok fɔ sɔpɔrt dɛn fambul.
Na Sierra Leone, pipul dɛn nɔ kin gɛt bɔku big big parɛd ɔ krowd na strit lɛk ɔda kɔntri dɛn. Di sɛlibreshɔn kin tan lɛk wan tɛm fɔ rɛst na os, fɔ spɛnd tɛm wit fambul, ɛn fɔ tink fɔ di wok we yu de du. Pipul dɛn kin yuz dis tɛm fɔ rɛlax frɔm di trɔbul fɔ wok, ɛn sɔm kin gɛt smɔl smɔl mitin fɔ tɔk fɔ wokman dɛn rits. I nɔ gɛt bɔku pɔblik fɛstival, so i na wan kwayɛt de fɔ rɛst fɔ bɔku pipul dɛn.
Yes, bɔku biznɛs dɛn kin kloz pan May 1, 2026. Dis inklud bank dɛn, big shop dɛn, ɛn gɔvmɛnt ɔfis dɛn. If yu de plan fɔ bay tin ɔ fɔ du biznɛs, i bɛtɛ fɔ du am bifo di holiday rich. Smɔl makit sɛla dɛn ɛn sɔm smɔl shop dɛn kin opin fɔ sɔm tɛm, bɔt di wan ol kɔntri kin rɛlax pan dis de. Transpɔrt bak kin rɛdus, so i fayn fɔ plan yu movmɛnt fɔ mek yu nɔ gɛt prɔblɛm.
If yu na visitɔ na Sierra Leone pan May 1, 2026, yu fɔ no se bɔku ples dɛn go kloz. I nɔ gɛt ɛni spɛshal rɛstrikshɔn fɔ movmɛnt, bɔt yu fɔ plan yu tin dɛn bifo tɛm bikɔs transpot fɔ go fɔ away ples dɛn kin rɛdus. Bikɔs i de fɔl pan wan Friday, i kin bɛtɛ fɔ yu fɔ rɛst na yu otɛl ɔ fɔ visit sɔm ples dɛn we rɛlax. I nɔ gɛt bɔku krowd na strit, so i na wan bɛtɛ tɛm fɔ si di kɔntri in kwayɛt pat.
I nɔ gɛt ɛni spɛshal it ɔ kɔstɔm we dɛn dɔn fiks fɔ International Workers' Day na Sierra Leone. Pipul dɛn kin it di nɔmal Sierra Leonean fud dɛn lɛk krɛn-krɛn, kras-kras, ɔ kpala wit rays. Di holiday na mɔ fɔ rɛst ɛn fɔ sho rɛspɛkt fɔ di wokman dɛn bitwin fambul dɛn ɛn fambul dɛn. No big big fɛstival dɛn no de, bɔt di impɔtant tin na se pipul dɛn de gɛt di chans fɔ briz smɔl frɔm dɛn daily wok.
Pan International Workers' Day, transpot kin rɛdus smɔl bikɔs bɔku draiva dɛn bak de rɛst. Poda-poda ɛn taksi dɛn kin de na strit, bɔt dɛn nɔ kin bɔku lɛk aw dɛn kin de pan nɔmal workday. If yu de travul long distans, i fayn fɔ arenj yu transpot bifo di de rich. Bikɔs bɔku biznɛs kloz, pipul dɛn nɔ kin travul bɔku fɔ go wok, so di strit dɛn kin kwayɛt pas aw dɛn kin tan na nɔmal tɛm.
International Worker’s Day dates in Sierra Leone from 2019 to 2025
| Year | Day of Week | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Thursday | May 1, 2025 |
| 2024 | Wednesday | May 1, 2024 |
| 2023 | Monday | May 1, 2023 |
| 2022 | Sunday | May 1, 2022 |
| 2021 | Saturday | May 1, 2021 |
| 2020 | Friday | May 1, 2020 |
| 2019 | Wednesday | May 1, 2019 |
Note: Holiday dates may vary. Some holidays follow lunar calendars or have different observance dates. Purple indicates weekends.