BAMANA, MANINKA, DYULA ETC.
The Mande language family has many members, spread over the territory of the old Empire of Mali and its environs. Migration and trade have spread speakers and their languages across West Africa, although in some cases the differences between languages of different names are relatively slight and it seems more appropriate to call them dialects of the same language (e.g. Bamana, Maninka, Dyula). Bamana is spoken in central Mali, Maninka is spoken in western Mali and eastern Guinea; Dyula is the name for the same language in Côte d'Ivoire, and comes from the term for trader.
The differences might also be considered historical. The Maninka look back to the empire of Mali, founded by Sunjata in the early 13th century; the Bamana dissociate themselves from that empire and are represented in pre-colonial history rather by two states on either side of the middle Niger valley that existed in the 18th - 19th centuries, Kaarta on the north bank and Segou on the south. The Dyula, while claiming a Mande origin, are generally Muslim and do not look back to periods of political hegemony; they also live outside the territory of the empire.
This set of listings is divided into four sections; because of their length they are given as separate pages:
Following the listing of narratives is a bibliography of sources. Please note that, particularly for Sunjata and Segou, I have included narratives of all sorts to allow comparison of versions and perspectives. Versions originally recorded in other languages (Mandinka, Wolof, Pulaar) are also listed under those languages.
A.Sunjata
The empire of Mali, which lasted in various forms from the 13th to the 17th century, plays a unique role in regional oral tradition. Mali is the center to which many surrounding traditions of origin attach themselves. This is particularly obvious for the Gambian Mandinka, who look back to Tira Magan Traore as the leader who led the migration into the Gambia and whose story is usually told as the end of the epic of Sunjata, but it applies to other peoples as well.
The epic is rarely performed in its entirety, except at the request of researchers, radio stations, or schools. Rather, the jeli (griot, singer) will choose a section of the epic that seem appropriate to the occasion and the audience. A significant component in performance are the praise-songs that embellish the narrative line and allow the performer to link the performance with the members of the clan being praised who are present (and who will feel compelled to reward the singer with gifts). A given performance thus shifts between the narrative and the lyric interpolations, and on certain occasions the balance certainly swings towards the latter. One can recognize praise-names and lines that occur in performances of the Sunjata in the recordings of popular singing stars such as Oumou Sangare and Kandia Kouyate.
| Performer | Title
Bibliographic Reference |
Language | Date |
| Anonymous | Histoire de la puissance mandingue...
Quiquandon 1895 |
French |
1890s |
| Performer | Title
Bibliographic Reference |
Language | Date |
|
"" |
Simanguru et Sun-Dyata
Monteil 1966: 166-170. |
French |
ca. 1898 |
|
" " |
The Mande and Sunjata
Arnaud 1912 pp. 166-172 |
French |
ca. 1905? |
|
"" |
La légende de Soundiata
Vidal 1924 pp. 317-328 |
French |
1920s. |
|
"" |
La flèche magique
Guillot 1950: 54-73 |
1950? | |
| Episodes de la légende de Soundiata
Humblot 1951 Notes Africaines 111-113 |
French |
ca. 1950 | |
| Babu Conde | Le maître de la parole
Camara Laye, 1978 |
Maninka | ca. 1970 |
| Mamadi Conde | Fakoli
Conrad 2000, pp. 75-93 |
Maninka
English |
1981 |
|
"" |
Fakoli and Sumaworo
Conrad 2000, pp. 95-127 |
Maninka
English |
1981 |
| Bakary Diabaté | Soundiata
Sadji 1985, pp. 11-38 |
Khassonke
French |
|
| Kele Monson Diabate | Epic of Sunjata
Moser 1974, pp. 205-328 |
Maninka
bilingual |
March 1968 |
| ** | "Coming of Sunjata's Ancestors"
Bird 1972, pp. 443-448 |
Maninka | 1968 |
| ** | Kala Jata (epic of Sunjata)
M. M. Diabate 1970 a |
Maninka | 1968? |
| ** | Sunjata Faasa
M.M. Diabate, 1970b (Janjon) |
Maninka | 1968 |
| ** | L'aigle et l'épervier (epic of Sunjata
M. M. Diabate, 1975 |
Maninka | 1968? |
| ** | Le lion à l'arc (epic of Sunjata)
M.M. Diabaté 1986 |
Maninka | 1968? |
| ** N.B. These differing publications seem to be based on the same performance as given in Moser 1974. | |||
| Lansine Diabate | L'Épopée de Sunjata
Jansen 1995 |
Maninkabil: M-F | 1992 |
| Performer | Title
Bibliographic Reference |
Language | Date |
| Mamadi Aissa Diakite | Sunjata and the Mande
Adam 1904 pp. 39-47 |
Arabic MS
French |
ca. 1900 |
|
"" |
Histoire de la lutte...
Delafosse 1913 pp. 19-30 |
Arabic MS
French |
ca 1900 |
| Yeli Fode Gibate | Mande Sunjata
Michael Jackson 1979, pp. 101-103 |
Kuranko
English |
1970 |
| Kanku Madi Jabate | Epic of Sunjata
Jabatel 1987, pp. 76-289 |
Maninka
bilingual M-F |
ca 1985 |
| Amadou Jebate | Sunjata's Childhood
Jebate 1980, pp. 108-125 |
Mandinka
bilingual M-F |
ca. 1980 |
| Mahan Jebate | Histoire du Manding
Sory Camara 1976, pp. 265-78, 307-320 |
Maninka
bilingual M-F |
1970 |
| Wa Kamissoko | L'Empire du Mali
Kamissoko and Cisse 1988, 1991 |
Bilingual, M-F | 1975 |
| Kande Kanote | Légende de Soundiata
Zeltner 1913, pp. 1-36 |
Khassonke
French |
ca. 1910 |
| Banna Kanute | Sunjata
Innes 1974, pp. 136-259 |
Mandinka
bilingual |
1969 |
| Dembo Kanute | Faa Koli
Innes 1974, pp. 260-323. |
Mandinka
bilingual |
1968 |
| Ibrahima Kante | L'épopée du Manding
Kante, Kaba, Conde. Typescript |
Maninka
French |
ca. 1975? |
| Mamadou Kante | Makan Sunjata and Simangourou
Meyer 141-146 |
Pulaar
French |
1976-1979 |
| Ibn Khaldun | Story of Mari Diata
Levtzion and Hopkins, p. 333 |
Arabic | 1393-4 |
| Kieba Koate aka Korongo | Die Sunjattalegende
Frobenius, Atlantis V pp. 303-331 |
Maninka?
German |
ca. 1910 |
| Tiemoko Kone | Soundiata
Doucoure 1970 CELHTO |
Maninka
bilingual |
ca. 1970 |
| Demba Kouyate | Sunjata
Conrad 2000, pp. 157-202 |
Maninka
English |
1987 |
| Performer | Title
Bibliographic Reference |
Language | Date |
| Jeli Fayala Kouyate | Kamanajan and Islam
Conrad 2000, pp. 45-53 |
Maninka
English |
ca. 1992 |
| Mamadou Kouyate | Soundiata ou l'épopée mandingue
Niane 1960 |
Maninka?
French |
pre-1960 |
| Mamary Kouyate | Sunjata
Conrad 1981, pp. 711-718 |
Maninka
English |
16 Aug. 1975 |
| Jeli Mori Kouyate | Ancestors, Sorcery, and Power
Conrad 2000, pp. 55-73 |
Maninka
English |
pre-1991 |
| Sanassy Kouyate | Village Issues and Mande Ancestors
Conrad 2000, pp. 17-44 |
Maninka
English |
1980-82 |
| Noah Bokari Marah | Rivalry of Half-brothers
Jackson 1979, pp. 97-98 |
English | 1970 |
| Ali Sawse | Lion of Manding
Courlander, Treasury pp. 71-78 |
Wolof
English |
1950 |
| Mamby Sidibe | Soundiata Kéita, héros historique ...
Sidibe 1959, pp. 41-50 |
French Prose | 1937 |
| Fadigi Sisoko | The epic of Son-Jara
Johnson 1978, vol. 2; Johnson 1986 |
Maninka
English |
1967 |
| Magan Sisoko | Sunjata
Johnson 1978, vol. 3 |
Maninka
English |
1974 |
| Jeli Baba Sissoko | Wagadu and Sunjata
Conrad 1981, pp. 649-710. |
Maninka
English |
24 July 1975 |
| Habibou Sissoko | Sunjata
Zeltner pp. 37-45 |
Khassonke
French |
ca. 1910 |
| Bamba Suso | Sunjata
Innes 1974, pp. 34-135 |
Mandinka
bilingual |
1969 |
N.B. John W. Johnson reports possession of a number of unpublished versions of the Epic of Sunjata: Mamadi Diabate, recorded in Kela in 198\74 (untranslated MS); Kele Monson Diabate, recorded in Kita in 1974 (untranslated MS); Banzumana Sisoko, recorded in Segu in 1973 (bilingual with English)[see Johnson 1978]; Alkaw Kone, recorded in the Kaarta in 1974 (bilingual with English) [see Johnson 1978]. David Conrad has recorded an 11-hour performance by Djanka Tassey Conde of Fadama which he is preparing for eventual publication.
References
M.G. Adam. Légendes historiques du pays de Nioro (Sahel). Paris. Augustin Challamel, 1904.
Robert Arnaud. La singulière légendes des soninkés: traditions orales sur le royaume de Koumbi. In L'Islam et la politique musulmane en Afrique occidentale française. Paris, Comité de l'Afrique française, 1912.
Charles Bird, ed. and trans. "Bambara oral prose and verse narratives." in African Folklore, ed. Richard Dorson. New York: Anchor Books. 1972. pp. 441-477.
Sory Camara. Gens de la Parole. Paris: Karthala, 1992. First printed Mouton, 1975.
David C. Conrad. The Role of Oral Artists in the History of Mali. Dissertation, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1981. 2 volumes.
David Conrad. Epic Ancestors of the Sunjata Era. Madison: University of Wisconsin African Studies Program, 2000.
Maurice Delafosse. Traditions historiques et légendaires du Soudan Occidental. Publication du Comité de l'Afrique française. Paris. 1913.
Maurice Delafosse. 1913. "Histoire de la lutte entre les empires de Sosso et du Mande." in Traditions historiques et légendaires du Soudan Occidental. Paris. Reprinted in Notes africaines83 (July, 1959) pp. 76-80. (extract of previous publication).
Massa Makan Diabaté. 1970a. Kala Jata. Bamako, Editions populaires.
-----. 1970b Janjon et autres chants populaires du Mali. Bamako. Editions populaires.
-----. 1975. L'aigle et l'épervier. Paris, Jean Oswald.
-----. 1986. Le Lion à l'arc.. Paris, Hatier.
Lansana Doucoure and Mme. Martal, eds. L'épopée de Soundiata de Tiemoko Kone. Niamey, CELHTO 1970.
Leo Frobenius. Dichten und Denken im Sudan. Atlantis V. Iena, Eugen Diederichs. 1925.
René Guillot. La Brousse et la Bête. Paris, Librairie Delagrave, 1950.
P. Humblot. "Episodes de la légende de Soundiata" Notes Africaines 52 (1951), pp. 111-113
Gordon Innes, ed. and trans. 1974. Sunjata: Three Mandinka Versions. London, School of Oriental and African Studies.
Kanku Madi Jabaté. 1987. L'Histoire du Mande, collected, translated, and annotated by Madina Ly-Tall, Seydou Camara and Bouna Diouara. Paris, Association SCOA.
Michael Jackson. 1979. "Prevented Successions: A Commentary upon a Kuranko Narrative" in R.H. Hook, ed. Fantasy and Symbol: Studies in Anthropological Interpretation. London, Academic Press. pp. 95-131.
Jan Jansen, Esger Duintjer, and Boubacar Tamboura. L'Épopée de Sunjara d'après Lansine
Diabate de Kela. Leiden, University of Leiden Center for Non-Western Studies, 1995.
Amadu Jebaate.1980. "La jeunesse de Soundiata." ed. and trans. D. Creissels and S. Jatta. Recueil de Littérature Mandingue. Paris. pp. 108-125.
John William Johnson. 1978. The Epic of Son-Jara: An attempt to define the model for African Epic Poetry. Ph.D. Dissertation, Indiana University. 3 volumes.
John William Johnson. 1986. The Epic of Son-Jara According to Fa-Digi Sisoko: A West African Tradition. Bloomington, Indiana University Press.
Wa Kamissoko and Youssouf Tata Cisse. 1988. La grande geste du Mali. Paris, Karthala/Arsan.
-----. 1991. Soundjata, la gloire du Mali. Paris, Karthala/Arsan.
Ibrahima Kante, "L'épopée du Manding." ed. and trans. Kaba Kante. Typescript, Kankan c.a 1970. In Northwestern University Library, Herskovits Collection.
Camara Laye. Le maître de la parole. Paris, Plon 1978. English translation by James Kirkup. The Guardian of the Word. New York, Aventura, 1980/1984.
Levtzion, Nehemia, and J. F. P. Hopkins. 1981. Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Gerard Meyer, ed. and trans. Récits épiques toucouleurs: la vache, le livre, la lance. Paris: Karthala/ACCT 1991.
Charles Monteil. "Fin de siècle à Médine." Ed. Vincent Monteil. Bulletin de l'IFAN, Series B, 28 (1966), pp. 82-172.
Rex Moser. Foregrounding in the Sunjata, the Mande Epic. Dissertation, Indiana University, 1974.
D. T. Niane. Soundiata, ou l'épopée mandingue. Paris, Presence africain, 1960.
Quiquandon, F. "Histoire de la puissance mandingue." Bulletin de la Société de Géographie Commerciale de Bordeaux 2nd series, 15 (1892), pp. 305-318; 369-387; 401-429.
Abdoulaye Sadji. Ce que dit la musique africaine. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1985.
Ali Sawse and David Ames. 1972. "The Lion of Manding." in Harold Courlander, ed. A Treasure of African Folklore. New York, Crown.
Mamby Sidibe. "Soundiata Kéita, héros historique et légendaire." Notes Africaines 82 (April 1959) pp. 41-50.
J. Vidal. "La légende officielle de Soundiata." Bulletin du Comité d'études historiques et scientifiques de l'Afrique occidentale française 7 (1924), pp. 317-328.
Franz de Zeltner. Contes du Sénégal et du Niger. Paris: E. Leroux, 1913.
African Epics Resource Page, by Stephen Belcher. © Stephen Belcher, 2000.
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