Page 103 - Empires of Medieval West Africa

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

CONNECTIONS for each string. The six necks
are flat, flexible sticks spiked
Mande Musicians Today right through one side of the
calabash and out the other. At
dozens of mande musicians from mali and Guinea are the top of each neck, a string
internationally famous recording stars. some are from jeli is attached that extends down
families, although many are not. among the most famous across the curved surface of
male musicians from mali is salif Keita (who is believed to the calabash and over a small
be a descendant of sunjata). He started his career with the cylinder bridge. Unlike the
rail Band. toumani diabaté’s 1989 record, Kaira, made his- Mande harps, the opening of
tory as the first solo album featuring the kora. among more the calabash resonator is not
than a dozen world-famous mali female singers are oumou covered by animal skin, and
sangaré, who first gained fame in 1989 with lyrics about the open side faces away from
women’s social issues in her album Moussoulou (women); the musician.
and rokia traoré, who has a reputation as a musical rebel. The other stringed instru-
other top female singers of mali include Kandia Kouyaté, ment that is not a harp also does
amy Koïta, mah damba, and Hawa diarra. not have a calabash resonator.
mory Kanté is among the most famous musicians from The nkoni or ngoni is a kind of
Guinea. He started playing the bala and later learned both plucked guitar. Along with the
guitar and kora. currently, the number-one recording star in bala and kora, it is the third of
Guinea is the jeli sekouba Bambino diabaté. He started his the Mande musical instruments
career with Bembeya Jazz, and his third solo album is Sini- that is traditionally played only
kan (words of tomorrow). large music stores in the United by jeliw. The nkoni’s resonator is
states sell the cds of all these mande recording stars, and made of wood hollowed out like
many more.
a miniature canoe. Stretched
over the hollow is an animal
hide, with a sound hole in the
center. It has a wooden neck and three to seven strings.

SLAVERY IN MANDE SOCIETY
From ancient times to the middle of the 19th century, one of the biggest
groups within Mande society was slaves. In a great medieval state like
the Mali Empire, many slaves were captured during wars of expansion.
Slaves were an extremely important part of the economy because their
labor had great value. They also brought in wealth when they were sold
across the trans-Saharan trade routes.
When soldiers returned from a successful raid or battle, roughly
half the loot, including slaves, was taken by the ruler on behalf of the
state. Many slaves were exported across the Sahara or traded in sub-

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