The Epic of Son-Jara: A West African Tradition

. . . 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: John William Johnson
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Published: 08/22/1992
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.00w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780253207135

About the Author

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.