Epilogue

as a place without hope. Most people never go to Africa to see what it is More than 10 modern
really like. countries, including Mali,
It is not Africa’s problems that should define it, but its people. Guinea, and Senegal, adjoin
the ancient lands of Ghana,
Guinea is in the early stages of developing a tourist trade. Mali has
Mali, and Songhay.
already become a popular destination for visitors because of the

13
 E m p i r E s o f m E d i E va l w E s t a f r i c a

Making the Best of Life

in the lands of the former medieval empires
the standards of city life are gradually
improving. a visitor to the busy capital of
Bamako might even be surprised to learn
that mali is still rated as one of the world’s
poorest countries. the city’s center is filled
with people buying and selling merchandise,
and the two bridges over the Niger river con-
necting Bamako’s main districts have traffic
jams. although neighborhoods in Guinea’s
capital of conakry have electricity only at
night, the busy city centers are crowded with
people logging on to the internet. traffic is
congested there too, because conakry is on
a narrow peninsula with the atlantic ocean
on three sides.
However, in the more rural towns and vil-
lages of mali and Guinea, most houses still
lack running water. instead, there are cov-
ered neighborhood wells with hand pumps.
lines form as women and girls gather with
their buckets and tubs, and socialize while
waiting their turn to pump the water. the
metal tubs are so heavy when filled that it
takes two women to lift one onto the carrier’s
head.
in the thousands of communities where
there is no electricity, people take advantage
of nights when there is a full moon. children
will play out doors until after midnight, with
the game hide-and-seek being among their
favorite. when mangoes are ripe, they also
keep their ears tuned to the “thump” sound
of falling fruit. when they hear a mango hit
the ground, they race to find it and share it
among their friends.
adults listen to battery-powered radios
and portable tape players, or they may
gather in a neighbor’s yard to watch videos
on a monitor powered by generators. since
commercial films on cassettes and dvds
have become increasingly available in these
towns, enterprising individuals have built
“video palaces” in the form of large grass
huts with benches. videos are rented in town
and brought out to the villages for inexpen-
sive nightly showings that are very popular
with young people.
in mali and Guinea people are also excited
that american citizens elected a president
whose father was from Kenya. after the 2009
U.s. elections, pictures of Barack obama
were placed in taxi windows, stores were
named after him, and people sold posters of
the president and his family.

ancient cities of Jenne and Timbuktu and its famous cultural attrac-
tions, including music, dance, and sculpture. Many first-time visitors
to Mali and Guinea are shocked by the poverty they see, but also awed
by the beauty of the landscape and the friendliness and ambition of

136

GEP-West Africa_FNL.indd 136 10/19/09 11:07:39 AM

 Epilogue

the people. They see them working hard against great odds to improve Much has changed in West
their own lives. Africa since the days of
the medieval empires, but
Whatever the hardships of modern life, the Mande and Songhay
the market is still central
people remain conscious of the glorious heritage that links them to the to village life. This image
medieval empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. On special occasions, shows a Mali market in
their jeliw continue to tell stories of the ancestors that remind people 2007.
of their history.
These famous ancestors still define the identity of the descendents
who carry their names. Whenever people meet, they salute each other
with their family names. In this way, there are special degrees of mutual
respect among family members, and between their family and other
families.
No descendants of the heroes and heroines of the medieval empires
will ever forget their ancestors, because if they did, they would lose
their identities and self-respect. Pride in the ancestors of Ghana, Mali,
and Songhay carries over into everyone’s daily life and inspires them to
succeed in the modern world.

13
 timE linE
1000–500 b.c.e. The beginnings of iron working in West Africa.
ca. 200 c.e. The camel is first used in the Sahara to transport goods.
ca. 500–700 The rise of the Ghana Empire.
570 The prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, is born in Mecca.
ca. 750–950 The Songhay kingdom of Gao becomes an important end point for trade across
the Sahara. This leads to increased prosperity and political influence for the
Songhay in the Middle Niger River region.
ca. 1035 As one of the religious obligations of Islam, Sanhaja chief Yahya ibn Ibrahim
makes a pilgrimage to Mecca. He returns with Abdallah ibn Yasin, who will be
the founder of the Almoravids, a powerful fundamentalist Islamic group that
establishes an 11th-century empire in the Western Sahara.
1076 The Almoravids take control of Soninke territories, sending the ancient Ghana
Empire into decline.
ca. 1235 Sunjata, legendary founder of the Mali Empire, and his Mande army defeat Susu
at the Battle of Dakajalan (near Kirina). They establish a new Mande state that
develops into the Mali Empire.
1324 Mansa Musa, the emperor of Mali, makes a pilgrimage to Mecca.
1352–1353 The Arab traveler and geographer Ibn Battuta visits Mali and the court of
Mansa Sulayman, emperor of Mali.
1460 Sii Sulayman Dama, founder of the Sii dynasty of the Kingdom of Gao, captures
Mema, signaling the decline of the Mali Empire.
1469 Sii Ali Beeri, ruler of the Kingdom of Gao, conquers Timbuktu as he expands
the Kingdom of Gao into the Songhay Empire.
1492 Sii Ali Beeri dies.
1493 Askia Muhammad the Great, emperor of Songhay, establishes a new Songhay
ruling dynasty.
1591 A Moroccan army invades Songhay. This leads to the defeat of the Askia dynas-
ty of Songhay; Songhay is ruled by Moroccan administrators.
1884–1885 The representatives of 14 European nations and the United States meet at the
Berlin Conference to decide who will conquer which parts of Africa.
1893–1894 French forces conquer Jenne and Timbuktu.
1899 French forces capture Gao, completing their conquest of the territories of the
former medieval empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay.
1958 Guinea votes to be independent from France.
1960 The Republic of Mali gains its independence from France.

13
Glossary
alliance a friendship or bond between
groups of people
archaeologist a scientist who studies past
human life by looking at fossils, buildings,
tools, and other artifacts left behind by
ancient peoples
archery shooting with a bow and arrow; a
person who does this is an archer
arid very dry
aristocrat a member of a small group of
people of the highest class in a society; the
adjective is aristocratic
artifact an object made by a person, usually
something left behind by a past culture
Askia the king in Songhay
bard a poet who recites a story associated
with a particular oral tradition
blacksmith someone who turns raw iron
ore into tools and weapons; blacksmiths
were often priests as well
calabash a tropical tree that produces large,
woody gourds (a fleshy fruit with a hard
skin); dried calabash gourds are still used to
make containers and even as part of musical
instruments
caravan a group of people traveling together,
often traders
cavalry soldiers who fight on horseback
clan a group of close-knit families
cleric a religious leader or scholar, such as a
priest
commerce the activity of buying and sell-
ing goods
concubine a woman who is supported by
a man and lives with him without being
legally married to him
courtier a person who lives at the royal
court as a friend or advisor to the ruler
delta a piece of land shaped like a triangle
at the mouth of a river left by flowing water
made from deposits of mud and sand
descendants relatives who trace their roots
back to one person
diviner someone who predicts the future,
detects hidden secrets, or prescribes sacri-
fices to solve problems and remedies to cure
illness.
drought a shortage of water that comes
after a long period with no rain
dynasty a family that keeps control of a gov-
ernment over many generations, with rule
often passed from a parent to a child
excavation an area that is dug up, usually
by archaeologists looking for the remains of
past civilizations and peoples
famine a dangerous shortage of food
fertile able to easily grow (for plants) or have
offspring (for animals and people)
genie a magical spirit of the bush
gesere Soninke people who specialize in
music and retelling oral histories
javelin a light spear that is thrown
jeli a public speaker and musician who spoke
for the king, sang his praises, and told stories
about important ancestors; the plural is jeliw
mansa the king in Mali
matrilineal something passed down
through the family of one’s mother
medieval from the time of the Middle Ages
(the period of history from about 500 to
about 1500)
mithqal a unit of gold dust currency
mosque a Muslim place of worship
13
E m p i r E s o f m E d i E va l w E s t a f r i c a
nomad a person with no permanent home
who moves from place to place
oasis an area in the desert that has water and
growing plants; the plural is oases
oral tradition remembering history by tell-
ing stories
pilgrimage a journey to a special sacred
place; people who take such a journey are
called pilgrims
polytheism worshipping more than one god
praise name a substitute for a person’s
name that describes the person’s best char-
acteristics or deeds.
quran the sacred scripture of Islam
reign the period during which a particular
ruler rules
ritual a ceremony carried out according to
laws and customs
Sahel the area on the southern fringe of the
Sahara Desert where the land changes from
desert to savanna
140
savanna a grassy plain with few trees
siege cutting off a town or fort from the
outside so it cannot receive supplies and the
citizens cannot escape
silt fine particles of ash, clay, or other mate-
rial that is carried by running water and
eventually deposited down the river as
sediment
sohanci diviners and sorcerers in Songhay
sorcerer a wizard or magician; a female is a
sorceress
sub-Saharan south of the Sahara Desert
successor a person who comes after
another and inherits or continues in the
offices they held
textiles cloth, or items made from cloth
tribute riches paid to a foreign ruler to pre-
vent an invasion or show obedience
tyrant a ruler who uses power in a cruel and
unreasonable way
BiBlioGraphy
“African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness).” World
Health Organiztion. Available online. URL: http://
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Monitor, July
10, 1986.
Briggs, Lloyd Cabot, Tribes of the Sahara. Cambridge:
Harvard University Press, 1960.
Caillié, Réné, Travels Through Central Africa to Tim-
buktoo and Across the Great Desert to Morocco
Performed in the Years 1824-1828. London: Henry
Colburn and Richard Bentle, 1830. Reprint edition,
London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd., 1968.
Cashion, Gerald A., “Hunters of the Mande: A Behav-
ioral Code and Worldview Derived from the Study
of their Folklore.” Ph.D. Dissertation (unpublished),
University of Indiana, 1982.
Charry, Eric, Mande Music: Traditional and Modern
Music of the Maninka and Mandinka of Western
Africa. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Conrad, David C., editor, Sunjata: A West African
Epic of the Mande Peoples. Indianapolis and Cam-
bridge: Hackett Publishing Company, 2004.
———, Somono Bala of the Upper Niger: River People,
Charismatic Bards, and Mischievous Music in a
West African Culture. Boston: Brill, 2002.
———, “A Town Called Dakajalan: The Sunjata Tradi-
tion and the Question of Ancient Mali’s Capital.”
Journal of African History, No. 35, 1994: 355-377.
Conrad, David C., and Barbara E. Frank, Eds., Sta-
tus and Identity in West Africa: Nyamakalaw of
Mande. Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1995.
Farias, P. F. de Moraes, Arabic Medieval Inscriptions
from the Republic of Mali: Epigraphy, Chronicles
and Songhay-Tuareg History. Oxford: Oxford Uni-
versity Press/British Academy, 2004.
Gibbal, Jean-Marie, Genii of the River Niger, Beth G.
Raps, translator. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1994.
Glassé, Cyril, editor, The New Encyclopedia of Islam.
New York: Altamira Press, 1989.
Hale, Thomas, Scribe, Griot, and Novelist: Narrative
Interpreters of the Songhay Empire. Gainesville,
Fla.: University of Florida Press, 1990.
Hunwick, John, Timbuktu & the Songhay Empire:
Al-Sa‘di’s Ta’rikh al-sudan Down to 1613 & Other
Contemporary Documents. Boston: Brill, 1999.
Ibn al-Mukhtar/Mahmud Kati b. al-hajj al-Mutawak-
kil, Tarikh El-Fettach, ou chronique du chercher
pour servir à l’histoire des villes, des armies et des
principaux personages du Tekrour
Tekrour, O. Houdas & M.
Delafosse, ed. and translator, Reprint edition. Paris:
Librarie d’Amérique et d’Orient Adrien-Maison-
neuve, 1964.
Johnson, Marion, “The Nineteenth-Century Gold
‘Mithqal’ in West and North Africa.” Journal of
African History, No. 9, 1968: 547–69.
———, “The cowrie currencies of West Africa, Part
I.” Journal of African History, No. 11, 1970: 17–49.
———, “The cowrie currencies of West Africa,
Part II.” Journal of African History, No. 11, 1970:
331–353.
Krabacher, Thomas, Azzedine Layachi, and Ezekiel
Kalipeni, editors, Global Studies: Africa, 12th
edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies,
2009.
Kryza, Frank T., The Race for Timbuktu: In Search
of Africa’s City of Gold. New York: Harper Collins
Publishers, 2006.
141
E m p i r E s o f m E d i E va l w E s t a f r i c a
Levtzion, Nehemia, Ancient Ghana and Mali. Lon-
don: Methuen & Co, 1973.
Levtzion, Nehemia, and J. F. P. Hopkins, editors,
Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African
History. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University
Press, 1981.
McIntosh, Roderick J., The Peoples of the Middle
Niger: The Island of Gold. Oxford: Blackwell Pub-
lishers Ltd., 1998.
Miller, Ronald, editor, The Travels of Mungo Park.
London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1954.
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Saad, Elias N., Social History of Timbuktu: The Role
of Muslim Scholars and Notables 1400-1900.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.
Stoller, Paul, Fusion of the Worlds: An Ethnography of
Possession Among the Songhay of Niger. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1989.
Sullivan, Jo, and Jane Martin, editors, Global Studies:
Africa, 2nd edition. Guilford, Conn.: The Dushkin
Publishing Group, 1987.
v n Beek, Walter E. A., Dogon: Africa’s People of the
va
Cliffs. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001.
furthEr rEsourcEs
BookS
Currie, Stephen, West Africa: Exploration and Dis-
covery (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Lucent Books,
2004)
An account of the exploration of western Africa
by Europeans and others. The book also looks
at how this exploration lead both to a greater
understanding of the area and its geography,
and major negative consequences for the people
of the region.
De villiers, Marq, and Sheila Hirtle, Timbuktu: The
Sahara’s Fabled City of Gold (Toronto, Ontario:
Emblem Editions, 2008)
Timbuktu was a center for the gold and salt
trades from the 14th through the 16th centu-
ries. The book details the origins of the city, its
relation to the Niger River, its golden ages, the
coming of the Moroccans, and its long decline.
There are many rich and exciting stories, maps,
and black-and-white photographs.
Doak, Robin, Empire of the Islamic World (New
York: Chelsea House, 2009)
The Islamic Empire had a great influence on
the empires of medieval West Africa. This book
looks at the history and extent of the Islamic
Empire, focusing on the Middle East. It also
examines the daily life, culture, laws, and reli-
gious practices of the Islamic Empire.
Fontes, Justine, Ron Fontes, and Sandy Car-
ruthers (illustrator), Sunjata: Warrior King of
Mali (Minneapolis, Minn.: Lerner Publishing
Group, 2008)
This graphic novel is subtitled A West African
Hero Tale Based on the stories of the traditional
storytellers of West Africa. It was produced
in consultation with David Conrad using the
original jeli narrative from his Sunjata: A West
African Epic of the Mande People.
Habeeb, William Mark, Africa: Facts and Figures
(Jackson, Tenn.: Mason Crest Publishers, 2004)
An overview of the natural features, history,
economy, and cultures of the more than 50
countries of Africa. The book also looks at
current problems, including poverty, hunger,
unemployment, wars, and AIDS.
Maddox, Gregory H., Sub-Saharan Africa: An Envi-
ronmental History (Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio
Inc., 2004)
A detailed history and analysis of the environ-
mental forces that have helped shaped the cul-
tures of the African continent. It tells the story
of the changing African environment and shows
how the continent’s often harsh conditions
prompted humans to develop unique skills in
agriculture, raising animals, and managing the
environment. Includes a chronological overview
of the chapters and detailed maps.
Niane, Djibril Tamsir, Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
(London: Longman, 1965)
This very readable and entertaining prose ver-
sion of the Sunjata epic is actually a short novel
based on the classic Mande tale.
Stokes, Jamie, Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa
and the Middle East, 2-Volume Set (New York: Facts
On File, 2009)
A detailed account of the peoples who live in
West Africa and the Middle East, including
information on geography, history, government,
languages, art, music, religion, and culture. Each
page is illustrated with drawings, photographs,
maps, and timelines. A language appendix is
also included.
143
E m p i r E s o f m E d i E va l w E s t a f r i c a
Zurlo, Tony, West Africa: Indigenous Peoples of
Africa (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Lucent Books,
2001)
The book begins with coverage of the rich his-
tory shared by hundreds of West African ethnic
groups. Other chapters illustrate how religion,
the family, and the arts are combined, from the
African viewpoint. The last chapter takes a look
at the future of development in West Africa.
DVD
A Visit to Ali Farka Toure (Kultur Films, 2006)
This film was made by French director Marc
Huraux in 2002. Huraux visited Touré in Mali,
and the musician acted as a kind of tour guide,
taking Huraux everywhere from a boat ride on
the river to the place where he recorded one of
his albums. The film also includes live music
performances and conversations between the
two men. Touré shares many of his life experi-
ences and desires. This film is in French with
English subtitles.
WEB SITES
African Empires
www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/timelines/
htimeline2.htm
This site gathers a long series of time lines of
African history in one place. Each time period
includes links to other sites with more informa-
tion. The medieval period is covered in this sec-
tion of the site.
Al-Bakri’s Online Guide to the Ghana Empire
www.worldbookonline.com/np/na/surf/middle/
hippodrome/ghana/saihng01.htm
This Web site is presented as if al-Bakri, the
Arab geographer, had written it. It includes all
kinds of information about the Ghana Empire,
including the capital and the king, the empire’s
economy and justice system, and religious prac-
tices of the time.
BBC “The Story of Africa”
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyof
africa/4chapter1.shtml
144
Three chapters of the very large documentary
“The Story of Africa,” produced by the BBC,
were about the three medieval empires. This
companion site features history, maps, links,
and reading lists.
Mali Empire and Djenne Figures
http://africa.si.edu//exhibits/resources/mali/index.
htm
Produced by the Smithsonian Institution, this
site features basics about the history of the Mali
Empire. It also has information on artwork
found at archaeological sites in Jenne (Djenne)
one of the major cities of the Mali Empire.
National Museum of African Art
http://africa.si.edu/index2.html
This is the main site of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion National Museum of African Art. Click on
“Radio Africa” to get free downloads of African
music and interviews with experts. Click on
“Collections” to explore the museum’s extensive
art collection. To find pieces specifically from
the medieval empires, search by country, region,
or ethnic group.
Timbuktu, Mali
www.history.com/classroom/unesco/timbuktu/
The History Channel has partnered with
UNESCO’s World Heritage Center to look
at some of the world’s endangered historical
sites. This section reviews Timbuktu’s early
history, its golden age under the Songhay
Empire, the contribution of Mansa Musa, the
city’s long decline, and current threats to its
survival. The site has photos of present-day
Timbuktu, maps, a time line, a study guide,
and a quick quiz.
Trekking to Timbuktu
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson _plan.
asp?id=510
Produced by the National Endowment for the
Humanities, this site is an overview of trade in
ancient West Africa. It includes maps, photos,
questions to answer and suggestions for activ-
ities and projects that put knowledge of medi-
eval West Africa to use.
picturE crEdits
PAGE 76: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
6: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 79: © Carl & Ann Purcell/CORBIS
10: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 83: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
12: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 90: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
16: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 92: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
22: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 99: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
31: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 101: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
34: Réunion des Musées Nationaux/
103: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
Art Resource, NY
106: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
37: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
109: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
40: Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY
110: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
43: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
117: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
48: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
49: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 119: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
51: SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images 121: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
58: Courtesy of David C. Conradd 124: Courtesy of Lucy Durán
61: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 128: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
63: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 130: SEYLLOU/AFP/Getty Images
64: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 132: Courtesy of David C. Conrad
66: Courtesy of David C. Conrad 137: Courtesy of David C. Conrad

14
 indEx
Note: Boldface page numbers indicate archaeology/archaeologists 139 139g Benin 20, 112
major discussions of topics; italic cowries 34 Berber peoples 8
page numbers indicate illustrations; Jenne-Jeno floodplain 12 economy 13
page numbers followed by c indicate Kumbi Saleh 39, 80–82 language and writing 13–14, 19
chronology entries; page numbers Sahel region 8 religion and beliefs 35, 115, 116
followed by g indicate glossary Susu kingdom 41 trade and commerce 29, 30, 33, 115, 116
entries; page numbers followed by m tombstones 13–14, 82, 88 Berlin Conference 125, 138c
indicate maps. archery 44, 86, 139
139g Bida 26–27, 28, 80
architecture 49, 81–82, 83–84, 103 Bilad al-Sudan 9–10, 63. See also Sudan
A aristocracy 27, 53, 94–95, 139
139g blacksmiths 139
139g
Abdallah ibn Yasin (scholar) 35–38, 138c arma/al-ruma 72, 123 as goldsmiths 98
Abu Abdullah Muhammad 72 arquebuses 73, 74 Mande society and 95, 101
Abu Bakr (mansa) 45 art 7, 89–91, 107 slavery and 103–104
Abu Bakr ibn Umar (Almoravid leader) artifacts 139
139g as spiritual leaders 41, 89, 108, 109
38 Askia dynasty 65–69, 87, 113, 114–115, boats and boating 20, 59, 62, 114–115, 117
acacia trees 80–81, 82 116, 119–120, 138c. See also spe- boliw 106
Africa, modern views of 134–135 cific ruler bolon 101
Agadez 66 askias 65–66, 118, 139
139gg.
g. See also specific Bonkana, Muhammad (askia) 67–68
age grades/age sets 18 ruler Botswana 50
agriculture 83. See also farmers/farming; Awdaghust 15–16, 32–33, 35, 38, 82, 129 boys 16, 18, 100, 101, 104, 106
food and diet Bozo peoples 20, 112
droughts 28–29, 139
139g B bribery 68
early 8, 9–10 Bakri, Abu Ubayd al- (geographer) buffalo 105
floodplains 11–12, 28, 64 Awdaghust 32 Buré 42, 43, 52, 126, 129
modern 131, 133–134 king’s palace 83, 84 bureaucracy 131–132
Ahmad al-Dhahabi (Moroccan ruler) Kumbi Saleh 80–82, 87 burgu 114
122 legal system 86 Burkina Faso 19, 20, 65, 74, 129
Ahmad al-Hashimi (Moroccan ruler) legends and myths 85 business and industry 49–52, 94–95, 98,
122–123 religion and beliefs 87, 88, 89 113, 137.
137 See also coins and curren-
Akan 52 bala 99, 100, 102 cy; taxation; trade and commerce;
Akhbar al-Zaman (anonymous) 32 Balla 120 specific industry
alami 95 balma’a 116–117
Algeria 9 Bamako 11, 132, 136 C
Ali Beeri (Sii) 17, 57, 62–65, 68, 111, 116, Bamana peoples 19, 74, 90, 103, 106, caïlcédrat tree 59
117, 138c 111, 112 Caillé, Réné (explorer) 48, 62–63
Ali Fulan 66–67 Bambuk 28, 51–52 Cairo 46, 51
Ali Kusira 118–119 Bandiagara Plateau 103 calabashes 43, 100, 101–102, 108, 127, 139
139g
alliances 106–107, 139139g Bani Asbah 121 Camara, Moussa Dadis (president of
alluvial deposits 28 Bani River 12 Guinea) 131
almami 126 Banju 53 camels 8, 30, 31, 46, 47, 73, 138c
Almoravids 16, 19, 33, 35–39, 138c baobab tree 78–80, 106, 133 canals 65
Alu 69 bards 93, 95, 96, 107, 108, 111, 139
139gg.
g. See canoes 20
Amnesty International 130 also gesere; jeliw caravans 7, 30, 31, 139g
139
amulets 106, 107 Baru 65 ethnic groups 19
ancestors and descendants 20, 49, 106, Basi 77–78 Mansa Musa’s 45–47
112, 113, 137, 139
139gg.
g. See also matri- bauxite 129 raiding of 13
lineal descent Baybars I 44 trade routes and 33
animals 10, 11, 28, 45, 50, 51, 73, 78. See Bayero, Alhaji Ado (emir) 83 cattle 9, 10, 12, 20
also hunting; specific animal Bedouin peoples 47 cavalry 26, 62, 64, 66, 121, 139
139g
anthropology/anthropologists 18, 19 Beledougou 41 cemeteries 59–60, 72, 82
apprentices 105 Belgium 125 ceremonies and festivals 100, 106
Arabic language 13–14 beliefs. See religion and beliefs Chad 9
Araouane 7, 61 Bembeya Jazz 102 chain mail 70
Arbi peoples 114 benga-farma 119–120 chiefdoms 17, 28, 39, 42, 106

146
 index

children 95, 100, 113 Diabe Cissé 25–27, 28, 80 famine 28, 64, 139
139g
age grades/sets 26 Diara 41 Farakoro 42
circumcision 16, 18, 104, 108 Diarra, Hawa 102 farmers/farming 33. See also agriculture;
duties 106, 134, 136 dictatorship 130–131 food and diet
Christianity 73, 107 dinars 45, 73, 84–86 early 9–10
circumcision 16, 18, 104, 108 Dinga 25 ethnic groups 20
Cissé peoples 25 diplomacy 51, 125, 132, 133 government and politics 130, 131,
civil wars 55, 69, 131 disease 10, 54, 55, 134–135 133–134
clans 19, 27, 139
139gg.
g. See also specific clan diviners 139
139g legends and myths 29
class system 27, 53, 93–95, 101, Mansa Musa and 46 Fati 68
111–115, 139g
139 practitioners of 109 Fazari, Ibrahim al- (scholar) 15
clerics 95, 113, 139
139g sand divination 108–109 fertile 139
139g
climatologists 13 sohanci 115 festivals. See ceremonies and festivals
clothing 51, 84, 94, 99–100, 106 Sunjata and 42–43, 44 finalu 95
coins and currency 33, 34, 46, 49, 73, dogari 83 firearms 73, 74
84–86, 100. See also dinars;
dinars mithqals Dogon peoples 20, 103 fish/fishing 9, 11, 12, 20, 114, 133
colonization 122, 125, 129, 138c Do ni Kiri 42–43 floodplains 11–12, 28, 64
communication 118 donso ngoni 101 fonio 8, 9, 133
Conakry 136 Do peoples 59 food and diet. See also agriculture; farm-
concubines 66, 113, 139139g ers/farming
droughts 28–29, 139 139g
Condé, Babu ((jeli) 96
drums 25–26, 46, 87, 100, 119–120 baobab tree 79
Condé, Djanka Tassey ((jeli) 96 burgu plant 114
Dugha ((jeli) 53, 99–100
Conté, Lansana (president of Guinea)
dunes 9 early 8, 9–10
130–131
dynasty 139
139gg.
g. See also specific dynasty government and politics 130, 133
Condé, Sogolon (mother of Sunjata) 42–44
dyula 19 kola nuts 29, 91, 108, 115
Condé family 104
Dyula peoples 19, 112 modern 133–134
Convention on the International Trade in
preservation of 61
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES) 50 E Fouta Djallon Mountains 11, 129
economy 10, 13, 84–86, 129–131, 133, Fouta Toro 126
Cooder, Ry (musician) 122
134. See also business and industry; France 48, 62–63, 103, 125–129, 138c
copper 55, 85
corruption 130, 132, 133, 134–135 coins and currency; taxation; trade French Sudan 63
Côte d’Ivoire 19, 52, 74, 112, 126, 129, 131 and commerce Fula peoples 10, 20, 74, 77, 111, 112
coups 131 riots over 132 funéw 95
courtiers 139
139g tourism 48, 50, 134–137
cowries 34, 108, 109 education 69, 72, 95, 131, 132 G
crime and punishment 53 Egypt 31, 44, 46, 51 Gabon 127
bribery 68 elections 130 Gambia 19, 89
corruption 130, 132, 133, 134–135 elephants 50, 51, 105, 114 Gao kingdom 60–65, 69, 114, 117, 120.
looting 126 empires 15. See also specific empire See also Songhay peoples
poaching 50, 51 employment 131–132 founding of 17, 20
“truth-telling ritual” 86 erg 9 French conquest of 127, 138c
crocodiles 114 Essuk 72 Mali’s expansion into 17, 20, 45,
culture 18, 19, 69, 129 ethnic groups 18–20, 112. See also spe- 50–51, 55, 57
customs 19, 29, 104–105, 137 cific group Moroccan conquest of 71–74
ethno-historians 14 peoples of 59
D Europe. See also specific country religion and beliefs 115–116
dado 133 exploration and 14, 48, 49, 61, 62–63, 127 Gawgaw. See Gao kingdom
Dakajalan, battle of 138c modern views of Africa 134–135 genies and spirits 25, 106–108, 114, 115,
Damba, Mah 102 “scramble for Africa” 125, 138c 139
139g
dan 101–102 trade and commerce 51 geographers 14–15, 28, 41, 44, 78, 138c.
dance 91 excavations 41, 88, 139
139g See also specific geographer
datu 133 exploration 14, 48, 49, 61, 62–63, 127 geography and climate 7, 13, 14, 24m,
Daud (askia) 68–69, 122 28–29, 61, 135m. See also under spe-
death and burial 13–14, 59–60, 72, 82, F cific country or region
88, 89, 106 Faama Da Diarra 104–105 Germany 125
dègè 91, 134 fado 26, 27 gesere 25, 111, 113, 139
139gg.
g. See also bards;
deltas 11, 139
139g Faguibiné (lake) 65 jeliw
democracy 132 family 119–120, 137, 140
140gg.
g. See also ghaba, al- 87
descendants. See ancestors and descen- ancestors and descendants Ghana Empire 23–39, 72, 86–91, 137,
dants; matrilineal decent clans 19, 27, 139
139g 138c. See also Soninke peoples; spe-
Dia 25 class system 93–95 cific ruler, country or city
Diabaté, Sekouba Bambino 102 competition within 28 colonization 129
Diabaté, Toumani 102, 122 “joking relationships” 104–105 decline of 41

14
 E m p i r e s o f m e d i e va l w e s t a f r i c a

economy 84–86 harps 100–102 Ismail (askia) 67–68

ethnic groups 19–20, 23–24 health and medicine. See also disease Issa Ber River 11. See also Niger River
founding of 8, 10, 12, 15–17, 23 baobab tree 79 ivory 50, 51
geography and climate 8, 26, 27, 28–29 circumcision 16, 18, 104, 108
government and politics 26, 27 disease 10, 54, 55, 134–135 J
legal system 86–87 religion and beliefs 115 Japan 50
map of 24m salt and 61 Jata 53
military 86–87, 116 hi-koi 62, 117 javelins 78, 139g
record keeping 18 hippopotami 11, 78, 105, 114 Jawdar Pasha 73
religion and beliefs 84, 87–91 history/historians 13–15, 20. See also Jazula peoples 19, 35
rulers 77–78, 83–84 legends and myths; oral tradition; Jefferson, Thomas 34
trade and commerce 15–16, 29–32, record keeping; specific historian jelimusos 100
51–52, 60, 112 African vs. European telling of 96 jeliw 95, 98–100, 108, 111, 139g. See also
writings about 14–15, 77 birth and death dates 18 bards; gesere
girls 18, 26, 27, 134 destruction of Wagadu 29 modern 137
gods 88, 89–91, 106–107 Muslim writings 72 music and 101, 102, 103–104
gold 15, 32, 55, 70m, 77 oral tradition 93 as spokespersons 46, 53
Buré goldfields 42, 43, 52, 126, 129 royal clothing 84 Jengereber Mosque 49
caravans and 45, 46 Songhay peoples and 59–60, 116, 117 Jenne 12, 13, 25, 70m
coins and currency 33, 46, 73, 84–86, 100 HIV/AIDS 134–135 French conquest of 127, 138c
Dyula peoples and 112 horonw 94 government and politics 118
legends and myths 27, 28–29, 42, 85 horses 10, 23, 45, 59–60 Moroccan conquest of 71–74
panning for 43, 127 housing 49, 81–82, 83–84, 103 religion and beliefs 115
trade and commerce 29, 51–52, 112 human rights 130, 131, 133 Songhay Empire 64–65
unit of measure 71, 73 hunting 9, 13, 59, 78, 101, 105–107, 114 tourism 136
Gorée 125 hydroelectric power 129 Jenne-Jeno 12, 13
government and politics 15, 18, 112. See jewelry 77, 84, 98, 106, 107
also kings/kingdoms; specific coun- I jihad 37, 126
try or empire Ibn al-Faqih al-Hamadhani (geographer) jinn 107. See also genies and spirits
bureaucracy 131–132 Joliba River 11. See also Niger River
32
colonization 103, 125, 129, 138c Juddala peoples 19, 35, 36, 38
Ibn al-Mukhtar (historian) 69, 71, 72
corruption 130, 132, 133, 134–135 Justin (store) 50
Ibn Battuta (historian) 44, 55, 78, 99–100
coups 131
Sulayman and 52, 53, 93, 138c
democracy 132
dictatorship 130–131
Ibn Hawqal (geographer) 29, 33, 85 K
Ibn Kathir (scholar) 45–47 Kabara 63, 69, 117–118
diplomacy 51, 125, 132, 133
elections 130 Ibn Khaldun (historian) 42, 44, 47, 55 kamalen ngoni 101, 125
oral tradition and 99 idols 89 Kamara family 104
riots against 132 Idrisi, al- (geographer) 38, 80, 86 Kanba 54
socialism 129–130, 131 Ifriqiya 33 Kaniaga 41
Gow peoples 59 imams 87, 95, 117, 126 Kano 83
granaries 83 incantations 108–109 kanta 114, 115
Great Britain 125 India 10 Kanté, Mory (musician) 102
griot 98 industry. See business and industry Kanté, Sumanguru (king) 17, 42, 44, 97
Guinea 52, 96, 119 infrastructure 129, 130–131, 136 Kanté family 41
ethnic groups 19 Inland Delta 88, 126 Kanuté, Inari (queen) 46
geography and climate 11 business and industry 114 karité tree 133
independence 128–129, 138c geography and climate 11 Kasa 53
language and writing 131 Mali’s expansion into 49–51 Kebbi 114
Maninka Empire 126 peoples of 13, 66, 74, 112 Keita, Mahmud (mansa) 57
military 130–131 international aid 133 Keita, Modibo (president of Mali) 131, 132
modern 128–131, 134–137 Internet 136 Keita, Salif (musician) 102
music 102 iron 10, 23, 41, 89, 95, 98, 138c Keita, Sunjata (founder of Mali Empire)
tourism 135–137 irrigation 12 17, 42, 57, 96, 102, 138c
Guinea-Bissau 19 Ishaq I (askia) 68, 118, 121 Keita family 104
guitar 102 Ishaq II (askia) 70–74 Kenya 51, 136
Islam 68, 87. See also Almoravids; Khalifa 44
H Muslims; pilgrimages Khiné 25–26, 28
hair 84 festivals 100 kings/kingdoms 15, 39, 77, 83–84, 113.
Hajj, Muhammad al-. See Muhammad founding of 36, 84, 138c See also specific king or kingdom
al-Hajj imams 87, 95, 117, 126 death and burial 88, 89
Hamdani, Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn jihad 37, 126 protocols 47, 52–53, 84, 93, 94
Ahmad al- (geographer) 15 Mande peoples and 95, 107, 109 tribute 51, 66, 73, 140g
Hamdullahi 126 Maninka peoples and 112 Kirina, battle of. See Dakajalan, battle of
Hammad Aryu 118 Timbuktu and 48, 63–64, 65, 115–116 Koïta, Amy (musician) 102

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 Index

kola nuts 29, 91, 108, 115 Mali Empire 10, 17, 41–57, 64, 129, 138c. men 84, 113
Konaré, Adam Ba (first lady of Mali) 132 See also Mande peoples; specific Middle East 25
Konaré, Alpha (president of Mali) ruler, country or city Middle Niger River 11, 62, 66, 116,
132–133 business and industry 41, 49–52, 138c
Konfara, Maghan (Farakoro chief ) 94–95, 98 migration 13, 25, 39
42–44 civil wars 55 military 10. See also under specific
kora 102, 122 colonization and 129 empire or country
Koran. See Quran ethnic groups 19–20, 112 mining industry 7, 51–52, 61, 69, 133
Koroma family 104 founding of 15, 17, 42–44, 94 mithqals 49, 71, 73, 85, 100, 122, 139g
Koulikoro 11 language and writing 95 moni 134
Kouyaté, Kandia (musician) 102 map of 57m Mopti 12, 61
kòwòrò 101–102 marriage 53 moral character 105
Kulubali family 104 rulers 45–47, 49, 51, 54–56, 96–97, moriw 109
Kumbi Saleh 12 105, 138c Morocco 7, 33, 35, 38, 51
archaeological site 8, 39, 129 trade and commerce 49–52, 60–61, 112 Songhay Empire and 17, 69, 71–74,
geography and climate 28 malik 60 120–123, 138c
legends and myths 26, 27, 80–82, Malik dynasty 116 mosques 49, 64, 82, 84, 87, 108, 139g
84, 85 Mali nké 19 Mossi peoples 65
Malinke peoples 19, 39 muezzins 87
L manatees 11, 114 Muhallabi, al- (geographer) 116
Lamtuna peoples 19, 35, 38 Mande Empire 42, 102–105, 133–134, Muhammad (prophet) 36, 49, 138c
language and writing 84, 107, 131, 133. 138c Muhammad Bani (askia) 69–70
See also under specific country Manden 42, 44, 96–97 Muhammad Bonkana (askia). See
ethnic groups 18–20, 95 Manden Bori 45, 55 Bonkana, Muhammad
usage of the word “tribe” 19 Mande peoples 8, 93–109, 137 Muhammad al-Hajj (askia) 69, 123
writing on tombstones 13–14, 59–60, age grades 18 Muhammad al-Shaykh (sultan) 69
72, 82 class system 93–95 Muhammad Gao (askia) 74
law 50, 51, 52 customs 19, 104–105 Muhammad the Great (askia). See Touré,
legal system 86–87 ethnic history 17, 19, 23–25, 112 Muhammad
Legend of Wagadu 25–29, 77, 81 food and diet 133–134 Muhammad Touré (askia). See Touré,
legends and myths hunting 105–107 Muhammad
farmers/farming 29 music 99, 100–102 Musa (askia) 66–67, 120
gold 27, 28–29, 42, 85 Niger River and 11 Musa, Mansa 45–47, 49, 51, 54–55,
Kumbi Saleh 26, 27, 80–82, 84, 85 oral tradition 93, 96, 104 138c
Mande peoples 17, 42–44, 94 bards 98–100 Musa II, Mansa 55, 56
music 25–26 Sunjata Epic 17, 42–44, 94 music 91, 113, 122, 125
Soninke peoples 25–29, 77–78, Susu kingdom and 41 death and burial 106
80–82, 84, 85 religion and beliefs 89, 95, 106–109 drums 25–26, 46, 87, 100, 119–120
Liberia 19, 127, 131 slavery and 45, 102–105 kings and 46, 53, 67, 93, 94
libraries 69 Mandinka peoples 89 legends and myths 25–26
Libyan Erg 9 Maninka Empire 126 stringed instruments 93, 99,
Lightfoot, Phillip 34 Maninka peoples 19, 96, 111, 112 100–102
linguists 13–14 Mani nke 19 Muslims. See also Almoravids; Islam;
lions 105 mansa 42, 139g. See also specific ruler pilgrimages
literature 32. See also oral tradition; spe- Mansur, Mulay Ahmed, al- (sultan) class and 111, 113
cific author or title 71–73, 121 diviners as 109
living standards 131, 133, 134 mapmaking 14, 82 kings 41, 84, 86, 107, 126
locusts 133 Maqrizi, Muhammad al-Husayni al- non-Muslims and 103
looting 126 (historian) 47 religion and beliefs 67, 106
Mari Jata (mansa) 44 treatment of 87
M Mari Jata II (mansa) 54–55 writings of 71, 72
Magha (mansa) 52, 54 Mari Jata III (mansa) 55
Magha II (mansa) 56 Marrakesh 71, 73, 121 N
maghan 27, 77 marriage 53, 66, 95, 113, 139g namagu 133
Maghrib 7, 29, 31, 51 Masina 74, 126 Namibia 50
magic 68, 89, 108–109 masks 89–91 natural resources 129, 133
Mahmud Pasha 73 Massufa peoples 19 néré 133–134
Mali, Republic of 25 matrilineal descent 28, 45, 78, 139g ngoni 102
French Sudan and 63 Mauritania 19, 26, 129 ngòyò 134
independence 106, 138c Mayé 114 Niafunké 122
modern 16, 125, 131–137 Mecca 35, 44, 45–47, 49, 51, 138c Niger 20, 66, 112, 129
music 102, 125 medieval 139g Niger Bend 12, 13, 57, 59–60, 112. See
Timbuktu 48 Medina 46 also Inland Delta
tombstones 89 Mema 41, 43, 57, 62, 138c Nigeria 11, 19, 114

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Niger River 62, 64, 66, 88, 114, 138c genies and spirits 25, 106–108, 114, silt 11–12, 140g
early peoples of 12–13 115, 139g simbi 101
exploration of 14 gods 88, 89–91, 106–107 simbon 105
French conquest of 125–127 polytheism 41, 89, 140g slaves/slavery 53
geography and climate 9, 10–13 priests 89, 114, 115 blacksmiths and 103–104
Nile River 15 sacrifices 26, 27, 91, 115 cowries 34
nkoni 102 sorcerers 42–43, 68, 89, 115, 116, 140g Mande peoples and 45, 102–105
nomads 7–8, 13, 20, 140g Republic of Mali 11 Moroccan invasion of Songhay 71–72
North Africa 14–15, 19, 23, 33, 51 rhinos 51 Songhay peoples and 111–114, 118
Nuh 74 riots 131, 132 trade and commerce 29
nyama 108 rituals 99, 140g women and 104
nyamakalaw 95 circumcision 16, 18, 104, 108 sleeping sickness 54, 55
Nyenyekoro 104–105 hunting 107 smuggling 130
sacrifices 26, 27, 91, 115 snakes 26–27, 28, 80
“truth-telling” 86 socialism 129–130, 131
O
Romans 30 society 19, 112
oases/oasis 7, 140g
ruma, al-. See arma/al-ruma age grades/age sets 18
Obama, Barack 136
oral tradition 14, 57, 140g. See also bards; “joking relationships” 104–105
gesere; jeliw; specific peoples or empires S matrilineal descent 28, 45, 78, 139g
sacrifices 26, 27, 91, 115 praise names 44, 105–106, 140g
Sadi, Abd al-Rahman, al- (historian) 69, Sogolon Condé. See Condé, Sogolon
P 71, 72, 118 sohanci 68, 115, 116, 140g. See also divin-
paganism 89 Sadiq, Muhammad 69–71 ers; sorcerers
paintings 7, 107 Sahara Desert 7, 19, 48 Somono peoples 20, 112
palaces 83–84 early economy of 13 Songhay Empire 10, 59–74. See also
Park, Mungo (explorer) 14, 127 geography and climate 7, 9, 47 Songhay peoples; specific ruler,
pasha 73 peoples of 60 country or city
peace agreements 132 trade and commerce 30–31, 60, civil wars 69
peoples 19. See also specific peoples 138c colonization and 129
personal appearance 84 Sahel region 8, 23, 28–29, 82, 140g ethnic groups 19–20, 112
pilgrimages 35, 44, 45–47, 49, 51, 138c, 140g Sahili, Abu Ishaq al- (architect) 49 founding of 15, 17, 59–60
plains 11 Sakura 45, 46 French conquest of 127
poaching 50, 51 salt 133 government and politics 69, 118
political parties 132 food and diet 61 language and writing 59–60
politics. See government and politics mining 7, 61, 69 Mali’s expansion into 50–51
polytheism 41, 89, 140g taxation 71 map of 70m
population 7, 12, 13, 25, 39, 131 trade and commerce 7, 61 military 13, 62, 64, 65–66, 70–71, 113,
Portugal 125 warfare over 120–123 116–120
pottery 89, 95 Samake, Harouna (musician) 125 Morocco and 17, 69, 71–74, 120–123,
poverty 136 Sama peoples 86 138c
praise names 44, 105–106, 140g Sandaki 56–57 music 87
priests 89, 114, 115 Saney 59–60, 72 record keeping 18
punishment. See crime and punishment Sangaré, Oumou (musician) 102 rulers 17, 57, 62–74, 116, 119–120, 138c
Sanhaja peoples 7–8, 19, 29, 30, 33, 60. trade and commerce 60, 112
Q See also Almoravids; Tuareg peoples; Songhay peoples 20, 59–60, 90,
Qayrawan 35 specific clan 111–123, 137
Quran 69, 82, 87, 109, 140g savannas 8, 9, 140g business and industry 113
science and technology 23, 136. See also class system 111–115
R health and medicine government and politics 112, 113,
raids 13, 95 Segu 12, 103, 104–105, 126 115
Rail Band 102 senankuya 104–105 health and medicine 115
rainmaking 108 Senegal 19, 125–126, 129, 131 language and writing 111, 112
Ramadan 100 Sénégal River 125–126 oral tradition 72, 111, 113, 116
Ras-el-Ma 65 Senufo peoples 20 religion and beliefs 113, 114,
record keeping 13–15, 18, 93 Shehu Amadu (king) 126 115–116
refugees 131 shurfafa 49 slavery and 111–114, 118
reign 140g Sidi Abdallahi 63 trade and commerce 115–116
religion and beliefs 79, 84, 111, 138c. siege warfare 64, 74, 140g Soninke peoples 41, 72, 117, 138c
See also diviners; rituals; specific Sierra Leone 11, 127, 131 Awdaghust and 33, 35, 38
peoples, empires or kingdoms Sii dynasty 138c early 23–24
animals and 28 sii/sonyi 17, 60–61, 133. See also specific ethnic groups 17, 19, 112
death and burial 13–14, 59–60, 72, 82, ruler legends and myths 25–29, 77–78,
88, 89, 106 Sijilmasa 33, 38 80–82, 84, 85

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 Index

migration of 39 Touré, Samouri (founder of Maninka W

religion and beliefs 89 Empire) 126–127 Wagadu kingdom 23, 24, 25–29, 77, 81
trade and commerce 29–30 Touré, Sekou (president of Guinea) wago 27
sorcerers 42–43, 68, 89, 115, 116, 129–130, 131 Walata 39, 51, 63–64, 65, 82
140g tourism 48, 50, 134–137 Wali 44
Sorko peoples 59, 62, 112, 114–115 trade and commerce 29–32, 33, 48, warfare 17, 44, 64–65, 73. See also
Spain 14–15, 35, 74, 77, 78 112, 138c, 139g. See also under weaponry
spirits. See genies and spirits specific country, region, peoples colonization and 125
Stone Age 130 or commodity tactics and strategies 64, 74, 140g
sub-Saharan 9, 140g control for early routes of 15–16, 19, 51 Warraq, Muhammad ibn Yusuf, al- 77
Sudan 10, 15, 29, 63, 69, 72 warfare and 64 water supply 30, 47, 73, 136
Suez 47 transportation 20, 65, 114–115 waterways 64, 65, 114–115
Sulayman (mansa) 52–53, 54, 55, 93, 94, animals and 10, 30, 31, 138c Wati 44
99–100, 138c military campaigns and 62, 65, 117 weaponry 10, 86, 89
Sulayman Dama (sii) 57, 61, 62, 138c Niger River and 12, 13 clothing 70
sultans 47, 122 Traoré, Moussa (president of Mali) early 23
Sumanguru Kanté. See Kanté, 131–132 firearms 73, 74, 126, 127
Sumanguru Traoré, Rokia (musician) 102 hunting 78
sumbala 134 Traoré family 104, 105 West Africa 23, 129. See also specific
Sundiata. See Keita, Sunjata treaties 125, 132 country or empire
Sunjata. See Keita, Sunjata trees 114 Western Sahara 19, 35
Sunjata Epic 17, 42–44, 94 acacia 80–81, 82 Western Sudan 10, 12, 39, 77, 78–80
Sunni Ali. See Ali Beeri, Sii baobab 78–80, 106, 133 French conquest of 125–127
Susu kingdom 41–42, 44 caïlcédrat 59 housing 49
Susu peoples 17, 138c genies and 106 peoples of 59–60
Syria 73 kola nuts 29, 91, 108, 115 Sulayman and 52–53, 54
sacred groves 87–88 trade and commerce 112
T tribes, usage of the word 19. See also women 48, 77, 100, 134
Tadmakka 72 ethnic groups; peoples as chieftains 28
Taghaza 61, 69, 71, 120–123 tribute 51, 66, 73, 140g as concubines 66, 113, 139g
Takadda 55 Tripoli 31 as jelimusos 100
takura 134 “truth-telling ritual” 86 music 102
Taoudenni 7, 61 trypanosomiasis. See sleeping sickness as potters 95
tariffs 84–85 tsetse flies 10, 54 slavery and 104
Tarikh al-fattash (Ibn al-Mukhtar) 72 Tuareg peoples 63, 66. See also Sanhaja as spiritual leaders 108
Tarikh al-Sudan (al-Sadi) 69, 72, 118 peoples working in goldfields 43, 127
taxation 71, 84–85, 121, 122 culture 19, 60, 112 World Health Organization (WHO) 54
technology. See science and technology revolt of 132 World Heritage List of Endangered
Tegdasoust 82. See also Awdaghust warfare 55, 69, 73, 74, 128 Places 48
textiles 84, 140g Tukalor Empire 126, 127 World War II 122
Timbuktu 7, 12, 90, 116 Tunisia 7 writing. See language and writing
business and industry 61, 68 tunka 77 Wuld Kirinfil 71
French conquest of 127, 138c Tunka Manin (king) 77–78, 84, 85
French exploration of 48, 62–63 tunkara 117 Y
looting of 126 tyrants 55, 140g Yahya ibn Ibrahim (Sanhaja chief ) 35–36,
Mali Empire and 43, 47, 49, 57 138c
military 116–119 U Yaqubi, Ahmad al- (historian) 15, 30,
Moroccan conquest of 71–74 Umar (Lamtuna chief ) 38 85
religion and beliefs 115 Umari, al- 32, 44, 45 Yaqut al-Hamawi (geographer) 31
Songhay Empire and 60–61, 63–64, Umar Komadiakha 67, 118 Yasin, Abdallah ibn. See Abdallah ibn
69–71 Umar Tal (scholar) 126 Yasin
tourism 48, 136 UNESCO 48, 59 Yatenga 65
Tindirma 118 United States 132, 136
tombstones 13–14, 59–60, 82, 88 African music 102, 122 Z
Tony Lama (store) 50 Berlin Conference 125, 138c za beri wandu 116. See also Ali Beeri
Touré, Ali Farka (musician) 122 cowries found 34 Zanata peoples 19, 33, 35, 38
Touré, Almami Samori (resistance leader) ivory and 50 Zebu 10
129 kola nuts 29 Zimbabwe 50
Touré, Amadou Toumani (president of modern views of Africa 134–135 zoologists 28
Mali) 132, 133 universities 131, 132 zuwa 60
Touré, Muhammad (askia) 65–69, 83, Upper Niger River 125–127 Zuwa Alayman 60
111, 113, 117, 120, 138c urban design 80–82, 83, 112 Zuwa dynasty 60

151
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
D C. C holds a Ph.D. from the
University of London and is one of the foremost
experts on medieval West Africa. Retired as pro-
fessor of African history, he is a former Fulbright
Scholar and Fellow of the Royal Geographic
Society. Conrad returns to West Africa every
152
GEP-West Africa_FNL.indd 152
year and has recently been a researcher with
Yale University, consultant with Oregon Public
Broadcasting and the Discovery Channel, and
lecturer for Africa travel groups. His books on
medieval West Africa include Sunjata: A West
African Epic of the Mande People (2004).
10/19/09 3:39:55 PM