The epic of Son-Jara a West African tradition

Synopsis

"... a major addition to the literature on oral traditions." -- Journal of Religion in Africa

This 750-year-old epic celebrates the exploits of the legendary founder of the Empire of Old Mali. It constitutes a virtual social, political, and cultural charter and embodies deep-rooted aspects of Mande cosmology. The fully annotated translation is accompanied by an introduction that provides a historical and contextual framework for understanding the recitation of this African epic.