The Epic of Son-Jara A West African Tradition [Paperback]

... 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.

Preface

Introduction

The Hero
The Bard
The Text

The Epic

Annotations

Genealogy
Bibliography

JOHN WILLIAM JOHNSON is Associate Professor of Folklore at Indiana University and the author of two books and many articles on Somali and Mande linguistics and folklore.