Soumaoro Kanté (also known as Sumaworo Kanté or Sumanguru Kanté) was a 13th-century king of the Sosso people. Seizing Koumbi Saleh, the capital of the recently defunct Ghana Empire, Soumaoro Kanté proceeded to conquer several neighboring states, including the Mandinka people in what is now Mali. However, the Mandinka prince Sundiata Keita built a coalition of smaller kingdoms to oppose him at the Battle of Kirina (c. 1235.[1]), defeating the Sosso and leaving Sundiata's new Mali Empire dominant in the region.[2]
Whether or not any of the deeds attributed to him actually happened as such, or even whether Kante existed at all, is debated by historians. Traditional oral histories provide a wide variety of information, some of which is contradictory and much that is obviously mythical.[3][4]
Soumaoro Kanté is portrayed as a villainous sorcerer-king in the national epic of Mali, the Epic of Sundiata. After his defeat at Kirina, he flees into the mountains of Koulikoro, where he "disappears" after being shot with the only weapon to which he is vulnerable - an arrow with a white rooster spur arrowhead. In the Epic of Sundiata, Soumaoro Kanté is described as owning a balafon with magical powers, which is stolen by Sundiata Keita's djeli, Balafasseke Kouyate, and brought to Manden.[5] This is the origin of the Manden djeli tradition of balafon playing. The balafon of Soumaoro Kanté is said to be kept by the Kouyate family to this day in the village of Niagassola in Guinea.
Soumaoro is viewed as one of the true champions of Traditional African religion due to his reputation in the epic as someone possessing extraordinary magical powers. According to Fyle, Soumaoro was the inventor of the balafon and the dan (a four-string guitar used by the hunters and griots).[6]
As evidence of his supernatural powers, the griot Lansine Diabate notes, "At that time, owing to his magical powers, every fly which rested on the balafon of Soso [the royal musician], Sumaworo was able to find it out from a cloud of flies to kill it."[7] Diabate goes on to say that it was when the balafon player first refused to play for the king that Soumaoro Kanté's demise was anticipated.[7]
Notesedit
^Carruth, Gorton, The encyclopedia of world facts and dates, p 167, 1192 HarperCollins Publishers, 1993, ISBN006270012X
^Stride, G. T & Ifeka, Caroline, Peoples and empires of West Africa: West Africa in history, 1000–1800, Africana Pub. Corp., 1971, p 49
^Conrad, David C. “Oral Sources on Links between Great States: Sumanguru, Servile Lineage, the Jariso, and Kaniaga.” History in Africa, vol. 11, 1984, pp. 35–55. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3171626. Accessed 22 Sept. 2023.
^Jansen, Jan. “Beyond the Mali Empire—A New Paradigm for the Sunjata Epic.” The International Journal of African Historical Studies, vol. 51, no. 2, 2018, pp. 317–40. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/45176442. Accessed 22 Sept. 2023.
^Editor: Senghor, Léopold Sédar, Éthiopiques, Issues 21-24, Grande imprimerie africaine, 1980, p 79
^ abGreen, Toby (2019-03-21). A fistful of shells : West Africa from the rise of the slave trade to the age of revolution. Chicago. ISBN9780226644578. OCLC 1051687994.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Bibliographyedit
Davidson, Basil. Africa in History. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Charry, Eric. Mande Music: Traditional and Modern Music of the Maninka and Mandinka of Western Africa. Chicago: Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology, 2000.
Carruth, Gorton, The encyclopedia of world facts and dates, p 167, 1192 HarperCollins Publishers, 1993, ISBN006270012X
Stride, G. T & Ifeka, Caroline, Peoples and empires of West Africa: West Africa in history, 1000–1800, p 49, Africana Pub. Corp., 1971
(in French) Editor: Senghor, Léopold Sédar, Éthiopiques, Issues 21-24, Grande imprimerie africaine, 1980, p 79
soumaoro, kanté, also, known, sumaworo, kanté, sumanguru, kanté, 13th, century, king, sosso, people, seizing, koumbi, saleh, capital, recently, defunct, ghana, empire, proceeded, conquer, several, neighboring, states, including, mandinka, people, what, mali, h. Soumaoro Kante also known as Sumaworo Kante or Sumanguru Kante was a 13th century king of the Sosso people Seizing Koumbi Saleh the capital of the recently defunct Ghana Empire Soumaoro Kante proceeded to conquer several neighboring states including the Mandinka people in what is now Mali However the Mandinka prince Sundiata Keita built a coalition of smaller kingdoms to oppose him at the Battle of Kirina c 1235 1 defeating the Sosso and leaving Sundiata s new Mali Empire dominant in the region 2 Whether or not any of the deeds attributed to him actually happened as such or even whether Kante existed at all is debated by historians Traditional oral histories provide a wide variety of information some of which is contradictory and much that is obviously mythical 3 4 Contents 1 Biography 2 Notes 3 Bibliography 4 External linksBiography editSoumaoro Kante is portrayed as a villainous sorcerer king in the national epic of Mali the Epic of Sundiata After his defeat at Kirina he flees into the mountains of Koulikoro where he disappears after being shot with the only weapon to which he is vulnerable an arrow with a white rooster spur arrowhead In the Epic of Sundiata Soumaoro Kante is described as owning a balafon with magical powers which is stolen by Sundiata Keita s djeli Balafasseke Kouyate and brought to Manden 5 This is the origin of the Manden djeli tradition of balafon playing The balafon of Soumaoro Kante is said to be kept by the Kouyate family to this day in the village of Niagassola in Guinea Soumaoro is viewed as one of the true champions of Traditional African religion due to his reputation in the epic as someone possessing extraordinary magical powers According to Fyle Soumaoro was the inventor of the balafon and the dan a four string guitar used by the hunters and griots 6 As evidence of his supernatural powers the griot Lansine Diabate notes At that time owing to his magical powers every fly which rested on the balafon of Soso the royal musician Sumaworo was able to find it out from a cloud of flies to kill it 7 Diabate goes on to say that it was when the balafon player first refused to play for the king that Soumaoro Kante s demise was anticipated 7 Notes edit Carruth Gorton The encyclopedia of world facts and dates p 167 1192 HarperCollins Publishers 1993 ISBN 006270012X Stride G T amp Ifeka Caroline Peoples and empires of West Africa West Africa in history 1000 1800 Africana Pub Corp 1971 p 49 Conrad David C Oral Sources on Links between Great States Sumanguru Servile Lineage the Jariso and Kaniaga History in Africa vol 11 1984 pp 35 55 JSTOR https doi org 10 2307 3171626 Accessed 22 Sept 2023 Jansen Jan Beyond the Mali Empire A New Paradigm for the Sunjata Epic The International Journal of African Historical Studies vol 51 no 2 2018 pp 317 40 JSTOR http www jstor org stable 45176442 Accessed 22 Sept 2023 Editor Senghor Leopold Sedar Ethiopiques Issues 21 24 Grande imprimerie africaine 1980 p 79 Fyle Magbaily Introduction to the History of African Civilization Precolonial Africa University Press of America 1999 p 61 ISBN 9780761814566 1 a b Green Toby 2019 03 21 A fistful of shells West Africa from the rise of the slave trade to the age of revolution Chicago ISBN 9780226644578 OCLC 1051687994 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Bibliography editDavidson Basil Africa in History New York Simon amp Schuster 1995 Charry Eric Mande Music Traditional and Modern Music of the Maninka and Mandinka of Western Africa Chicago Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology 2000 Carruth Gorton The encyclopedia of world facts and dates p 167 1192 HarperCollins Publishers 1993 ISBN 006270012X Stride G T amp Ifeka Caroline Peoples and empires of West Africa West Africa in history 1000 1800 p 49 Africana Pub Corp 1971 in French Editor Senghor Leopold Sedar Ethiopiques Issues 21 24 Grande imprimerie africaine 1980 p 79 Fyle Magbaily Introduction to the History of African Civilization Precolonial Africa University Press of America 1999 p 61 ISBN 9780761814566 2 External links editSundiata and Mansa Musa on the Web web directory nbsp Senegal portal nbsp Mali portal nbsp Gambia portal nbsp Monarchy portal nbsp Africa portal nbsp History portal nbsp Traditional African religion portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Soumaoro Kante amp oldid 1218872376, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
