World History(internet based course)

Introduction

In the African culture , a very important oral tradition is the story of Sundiata , a lion prince who established the Mali kingdom in West Africa in the thirteenth century . The story of his exploits has been preserved and has been passed down through the ages by the griots , the African signer and storyteller (Bentley Zeigler , 1999 ,

.493

However , while there is no disputing the importance of griots to preserving and honoring Mali 's history , equally important were the traders whose desire to peddle their goods created livelihood and prosperity

all throughout the Mali kingdom

This of course begs the question : Between the griots and the traders which one was more important to Mali society which group of people had the more valuable contribution

This seeks to address the question by trying to define valuable contribution ' within the context of Mali society

Sundiata

Sundiata , according to the griots , was born of royal parentage . His father was ruler of a small West African kingdom in a region now called Guinea . Sundiata was born partially crippled because of a congenital leg deformity . After his father died , enemies invaded the kingdom , killing all of Sundiata 's siblings . Sundiata was spared because the enemies thought he was not a threat because of his deformity . Resolved to overcome his disability , Sundiata became strong while living in the forest . Sundiata became a fearsome warrior and was banished because of it . During his exile was able to assemble an army of loyal allies and followers because of reputation as a famous warrior . He then returned to his kingdom and regained the throne . It was during Sundiata 's rule that Mali became the richest land in sub-Saharan Africa (p . 493-494

Since Sundiata was a Muslim , he welcomed merchants and encouraged trade between his kingdom and the Muslims from the North . This open trade allowed the people of Mali to lead prosperous , comfortable lives

The Mali Traders

Sundiata 's choice to open his kingdom to trade has brought profound changes in the lives of his people . More than a prosperous life , traders have opened up the kingdom to new cultures and traditions which enriched their own native belief systems

Traders also brought with them exotic food items such as spices and new types of crops which were suitable for cultivation in the Mali soil This new products opened up new possibilities for trade , which encouraged more growth and urban development . With prosperity came the desire to create new settlements and expand the territory . Some people were encouraged to migrate to new lands , inspired by the stories of merchants from far away

This migration spread new cultivation and herding technologies into other parts of Africa , in turn , spreading Mali progress as well

The Mali Griots

The griots were the African storytellers , whose duty was to preserve African stories and traditions by passing the knowledge orally , from one generation to the next . The griots allowed younger generations of Africans to remember the past , and by doing so , are then...