...The Kingdom of Mali Prior to the emergence of the Kingdom of Mali, under the leadership of Sundiata of the Keita clan, after the decline of its predecessor Ghana, Mali had had a succession of strong leaders. It also had established strong regional trade links. The ancient Malian kingdom of Jenne-Jeno was reputed by archaeologists to have its roots in and around 200 Years BC. Mali only began to lose its power and influence in the 16th Century. Prior to its eventual collapse it was the second largest state in the world after the Asiatic Mongol Empire. Jenne’s strategic position made it an important crossroads for both north and south trade. Highly crafted fragments of pottery, iron work and jewelry have been discovered in the region. This makes it highly likely that there were imports of iron ore, stone grinders and beads into Mali. Also the origins of Mali lie in the Mandinka people who originally lived in the upper reaches of the Niger and Senegal rivers. They lived in small villages which were called Dugu. The chiefs of each village called themselves Dugutigi. These villages by the end of the 12th Century had formed themselves into the state of Kangaba. With the breakup of the Ancient Kingdom of Ghana, partly caused by raids led by the Almoravid Berbars from the north coupled with dwindling gold supplies at around the start of the 12th Century, smaller states such as Tekrur and Sosso competed to fill the power basin left in regions west of the Upper Niger. One of the main reasons...
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...baobab leaves for his mother as each in his age should do, Sassouma Betere hurled the baobab leaves at her face. Sundiata had had enough of Sassouma Betere’s endless ridicule aimed at her mother and therefore decided to walk so that he can take the baobab tree to his mother’s entrance. The baobab leaves triggered the event leading to Sundiata’s walking and is later used to situate him in Mema. Yet again, the baobab leaves will aid in an extremely decisive part in the accomplishment of Sundiata’s fate (Gale, 47). Sogolon’s strength is apparent all through the epic. From the moment that she is named the buffalo woman to the moment that she takes her family across Mali all the way to Ghana, Sogolon continues to be the core strength for the Keita family unit. The wisdom and strength of Sogolon makes her one of the most important heroes of this story. ...
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...Teach Africa tm World Affairs Council of Houston The Oral Traditions of Africa What are oral traditions? Oral traditions are messages that are transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages may be passed down through speech or song and may take the form of folktales and fables, epic histories and narrations, proverbs or sayings, and songs. Oral Traditions make it possible for a society to pass knowledge across generations without writing. They help people make sense of the world and are used to teach children and adults about important aspects of their culture. The art of storytelling There is a rich tradition throughout Africa of oral storytelling. Although written history existed for centuries in West Africa, most writing was in Arabic, and the majority of people did not read or write in Arabic. So the transmission of knowledge, history and experience in West Africa was mainly through the oral tradition and performance rather than on written texts. Oral traditions guide social and human morals, giving people a sense of place and purpose. There is often a lesson or a value to instill, and the transmission of wisdom to children is a community responsibility. Parents, grandparents, and relatives take part in the process of passing down the knowledge of culture and history. Storytelling provides entertainment, develops the imagination, and teaches important lessons about everyday life. World Affairs Council of Houston PO Box 920905 Houston, TX 77292-0905 Voice...
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...Student’s name Course Course code Professor’s name Institution Date The cross-cultural features of heroism found in Sundiata. The son of Djeli Kedian Kouyatd and Bintou Kouyatd, Djeli Mamoudou Kouyatd describes Sundiata as being the beloved one of God, great among rulers, unmatched among men and the last one of the great victors (Niane 2). Sundiata is from the linage of Bilali Bounama who was a faithful servant to Prophet Muhammad (Niane 2). Sundiata was born of the great king Nare Maghan Kon Fatta who was loved by all the people he ruled over. Maghan had 3 wives and six children and was well renowned for his beauty over the lands (Niane 4). Sundiata is prophesied to be a great person even before his conception. A hunter passing by the land of Mali prophesies that Sundiata’s mother, Sogolon Kedjou, is a hideous and ugly woman with a defacing hump on her back. He insists that this is the woman the king would have to marry in order for his successor to be born and for the name of Mali to become immortal. The hunter also says that in order for this woman to be led to the king he would have to sacrifice a red bull. He describes Sundiata to be greater than Alexander and to be “the seventh star, the seventh conqueror of the earth” (Niane 6). The father and mother of Sundiata meet due to fate. The handsome king, Maghan Kon Fatta is faced with the challenge of accepting this ugly woman who has been brought to him as a present by the hunters. She would be an embarrassment...
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...Mansa Musa was a man who was greater than his death, his death date may not be known, but his actions before death are surely remembered. He was a man of the highest amount of wealth, even now he is possibly the richest man in history. His wealth is something along with his life that he shared with his people, the people of Mali. During his reign, he conquered 24 cities including the districts, villages and estates that surrounded them. During the 17th year of his reign 1324, he made a legendary pilgrimage to Mecca. Along the way, he gave gold to the poor and the cities he encountered including Cairo and Medina. He also traded gold for souvenirs. This generosity backfired because unbeknowst to him, his actions devastated the economy of those...
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...Throughout the course of history, the main goal of many empires was to first survive in the harsh word, and then gain power in the world against fellow empires. For empires of the 15th and 16th century, that goal for survival and power was achieved, but not after a long and hard struggle, as neighboring empires where always a threat, and deadly outbreaks such as the Black Death decimated populations throughout Europe and surrounding areas. During this time, the Malian, French, and Aztec nation states used trade and conquest to survive, while establishing or reviving monarchal rule, with a degree of local government, to remain in political power. One of the nation-states that flourished into an empire long before the Atlantic trade world was the Mali Empire, which took residence in West Africa, specifically around the Senegal and Niger Rivers. Mali used both conquest and trade to survive and create an empire that would soon be the model for many others. In the thirteenth century, they conquered the remnants of the Ghana empire to establish their own Islamic empire. Because they were able to conquer and control vast areas of land and people, their empire was able to last for four centuries. Besides using military force to survive, the Mali empire also had to utilize trade in order to survive economically. So, they used the Sahara Desert as their trading grounds to exchange slaves, gold, salt, ivory and many other riches. Once they had a firm grip on the empire, they had to take...
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...It has been said that Mansa Musa is the richest man ever, However this author disagrees. Mansa Musa was quite wealthy, but there's not enough evidence that he was the richest. Under Mansa Musa reign, he lived in a place called Mali where there was lots of flowing trade. The reign was just north of the gold mines and just south of the salt mines. Because Mali was the central area for trade, they started to tax salt and gold(the most valuable trade item). That’s how most West African kingdoms got money as well as Mansa Musa did. In a 2012 Blog Post(document A) it states that mansa musa was worth 400 billion dollars but, how do we know for sure without any evidence? Although Document A talks about his “glittering reign” and how “he left behind...
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...D.T. Niane’s book Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali tells the history of Mali’s former ruler from the perspective of a royal griot, Djeli Mamoudou Kouyate of the village of Dejliba Koro (Siguiri) in Guinea. According to Niane, he is not trying to write a traditional history book, rather, he is trying to present the history of Sundiata’s empire through the traditional African form of memory using oral tradition as his only sources. He claims that the West has taught historians to avoid oral traditions and to rely instead primarily on written documents. However, Niane disagrees with these methods and claims that much can be learned from the stories and traditions passed from generation to generation through spoken word. He makes a wonderful case for the problem of Westernization of the historical discipline; stressing that it is important to understand the people being studied on their own terms, instead of viewing their histories from Eurocentric perspectives. The story of Sundiata begins before his birth. In the beginning, the griot establishes his authority on the subject by claiming that he was entrusted with these stories from his father and his father’s father. The griot also explains that griots take an oath and are unable to lie. According to tradition, Sundiata came from a long line of Malian kings. His father was a great and handsome man who was loved by his people. One day, Sudndiata’s father, Maghan Kon Fatta received a visiting hunter and soothsayer, who foretold...
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...Musa I of Mali (c. 1280 - c. 1337), Mansa Musa Mansa Musa is to be believed the most memorable and well known emperor of Mali. The empire of Mali was an established rich farming area at the time. Mansa Musa came to the throne through a practice of appointing a deputy when a king goes on his pilgrimage to Mecca or some other endeavor, and later naming the deputy as heir. According to primary sources, Musa was appointed deputy of the king before him. In his brief reign, he built Mali into one of the world’s largest empire and his fame spread throughout the Muslim and Europe. Musa made Mali twice the size of Ghana. During this time it was unknown for anyone to have such wealth in Africa. Mansa Musa was a proud Muslim and is best known for his famous hajj to Mecca in 1324. Through his hajj Mansa Musa passed many cities including Cairo, Egypt. Musa borrowed all the gold he could carry from money-lenders in Cairo, at high interest. This is the only time recorded in history that one man directly controlled the price of gold in the Mediterranean. Rise of Mansa Musa to emperor. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim. Islam forerunner in Mali Empire that gave thought to expansion through wiliness to develop within the Mali Empire and search for new resources outside of Africa. Tremendous impact Mansa Musa had on the development of African civilization. Mansa Musa’s achievements and power compelled European recognition and respect of Africa. Mansa Musa famous hajj...
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...Sundiata - The Lion King The destiny of man lies not in the hands of man, but in the hands of the creator. Such was the epic of Sundiata, the son of the buffalo and the lion. He was born by the “ugly woman with the hump,” paralyzed and sent to exile by his brother, yet, he emerged as the greatest king of Mali Empire. This review examines the importance of Islam, the jinns (ancestral spirits) and griots in making Sundiata the Lion king, the advantages of ethnicity to his victory, and its relevance to “Africa” identity in the 13th century. To begin with, Islam was the predominant religion in Mail during the 13th century and Sundiata’s lineage could be traced to Bilali, a devoted follower of the Prophet Muhammad. The muslims also believed in the existence of ancestral spirits known as ‘Jinns.’ These beings were thought to possess the ability to convey the feelings of individuals to the Creator and sacrifices were offered to these spirits. Furthermore, the griots were not only historians, teachers or musicians, but also the voice of the king. The griots were the closest friends and advisors to the king from an early age. This was seen during the birth of Sundiata when Nare Maghan “sent all his courtiers away and only Gnankouman Doua his griot stayed by his side”(Pg.13). Additionally, It is Doua who recalled the prophecy when Nare Maghan had doubts regarding Sundiata being his successor. In summary, the epic of Sundiata is told by the griot Djeli Mamadou Kouyaté. He began with...
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...MusaMansa Our history did not begin with us being slaves. Believe it or not our history is far behind the years of slavery. but in fact with heroes and heroines throughout history. Mansa Musa was a very famous,loyal and rich king. The way that Mansa Musa was famous was by them having a place on the map in sub saharan Africa According to the article blackpast .org on the bottom paragraph it clearly states. “ For the next two centuries Italian, german and spanish cartographers produced maps of the world which showed mali which usually is referred to as Mansa Musa.” I infer that in order to have an entire place on the map named after you. The way that Mansa Musa was loyal was because. During the pilgrimage in the trip of...
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...The richest person in history makes a trip across the Sahara for his Hajj, was it solely for religion or was there another reason? It has been debated why Mansa Musa made his hajj. An extremely powerful sultan, Mansa Musa, decided to make his Hajj to Mecca only for religion. During the months before Musa reached Mecca, he had to be charitable, according to the third pillar of Islam, Zakat. When Mansa Musa reached certain towns/cities, “he left no court emir nor holder of a royal office without the gift of a load of gold” (Doc. E). This supports the statement that he made the pilgrimage only for religious reasons, knowing that he was contributing to one of the 5 pillars of his religion. Even in situations when the king could become...
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...Yemi Matthew Professor Dr. Bruce G. Johnson Non-western World: West Africa Sundaita: an epic of old Mali This Epic of Sundiata tells of Sundiata, the great thirteenth-century ruler of Mali. It was transcribed by D. T. Niane. The story was passed through centuries from a long line of griots. The story of Sundiata illustrates the importance of saving the words of the oral historians before the advent of literacy extinguishes their memories. The epic of Sundiata begin with detail of the ancestors, as the force of history in important in the tale of the man whose victory will create the Mali Empire. (pg. xxiv) “I teach king the history of their ancestor, so that the live of the ancients might serve them as an example, for the world is old, but the future spring from the past.” Groit Djeli mamadou kouyate, (pg. 1) The role of groit in Sundiata an epic of old Mali is to protect the king and griot are men of spoken word, and by the spoken word we give life to the gesture of king. First of all, griots are very important to African culture; they are the keepers of tradition and are responsible for making sure things are done according to the customs of their ancestors. This is a very painstaking task because these customs are not written down; they are passed down by word of mouth. Their father teaches each griot, the knowledge griots possess is remembered through song and story, and is passed on with amazing accuracy...
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...The epic of Sundiata was an oral tradition that follows the life of Sundiata, son of Maghan Kon Fatta and Sogolon and future King of the Kingdom of Mali. The history of the “lion prince” (Niane 14), is told by the griot Mamadou Kouyate many generations after Sundiata himself died in the 1200’s. It remained spoken only until scholars began publishing African oral tradition as stories in the mid-1900s. Mamadou Kouyate explains that his reason for telling the history of Mali in this fashion is, “…so that the lives of the ancients might serve them as an example, for the world is old, but the future springs from the past, (1).” The epic itself are plainly written words of an oral account, but that does not take away from the fact that the history and tale is a reliable source of information on the old kingdoms of Western Africa and the Kingdom of Mali specifically. Griots, like Mamadou Kouyate, were men who had ,”…learnt the art of historical oratory through long years…bound by an oath, (viii).” Though certain words are often changed when a person retells a story, Griots were raised from their youth and trained to retain exact details of a history in order to better retell it in the future. Griots were highly respected men who maintained traditions of their people and were often more than not advisers to the kings of Mali. Griots, “…for want of archives, records the customs, traditions and governmental principles of kings, (vii).” These men told history so it can be an example to...
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...Sundiata and its Islamic Influences The story of Sundiata begins with the ancestors of sundiata and how they created the mali empire. This epic is told by the griot Djeli Mamadou Kouyate. Sundiata was born royal. His father was the king of Niani. One day a hunter predicated that Sundiata’s father would reproduce a great leader if he married and had a baby with an ugly woman. Eventually, the king found this woman and her name was Sogolon. The king accepted Sogolon and married her, although she would not consummate the marriage until magical powers help him destroy her wrath that was making her resistant. Later Sundiata was born and the prophecy was coming true. The fact that the King agreed to marry Sogolon could be because Muslims believe that God's guidance has been revealed to humankind through specially appointed messengers, or prophets, throughout history. The king could have believed that god had sent that messenger to him in order for him to conceive Sundiata who would be a great leader. Sundiata was faced with two major hardships or hurdles that he had to overcome. The first one was that his fathers first wife was spreading rumors and created horrible lies about him and his mother in an effort to raise her own son’s stature and make him more well liked. The second hardship was that he was crippled and unable to walk until was 7. Although Sundiata was crippled and did not have the physical attributes of a great leader, the king sees wisdom in his son. The king soon gives...
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