Epic of Son-Jara: A West African Tradition - Paperback

by John William Johnson (Author)

" . . . 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.

Author Biography

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.