Page 105 - 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

slaves. They would simply enter the service of their captors and con-
tinue to practice their occupations. In the case of a woman of high
status, it was possible for her to become a wife of one of her captors.
If a captive who had previously been free was from a family that
held the kind of special relationship, known as senankuya, with the
captor’s family, he would probably be freed. A legendary example of
this happened when a chief named Nyenyekoro knew he was going to
be attacked by the army of Segu, led by Faama Da Diarra. He also knew
he had no chance against their superior strength. He told all his advis-
ers to take off their clothes, thus reducing their social status to the level
of uncircumcised boys. With sandals dangling from his ears and an
artificial tail dragging behind, Nyenyekoro led his group out of town

The Social Custom of Senankuya

in mande society, ancient family names that between the families through the social cus-
are very common, such as Keita, Kulub- tom of publicly insulting and ridiculing each
ali, Koroma, Kamara, traoré, and condé, other. for example, whenever two people
have special significance. they have been with the ancient names of traoré and condé
passed down from the earliest ancestors, meet, one of them will always announce
who are described in the oral tradition as that the other is his or her “slave.” that per-
great heroes and heroines. mande people son will laugh and deny it, and call the other
with these names take their basic identities person their “slave.”
from the heroic deeds said to have been the two people may continue laughing
performed by their ancestors.
in these oral traditions, some of the and insulting each other for several min-
ancestors endured great suffering or expe- utes, making up hilarious stories about each
rienced great adventures together. some- other’s families. local bystanders appreci-
times these included wars with one another ate the humor and probably do the same
that were later settled peacefully. these thing when they meet someone from a fam-
historic experiences caused special bonds ily with whom they have a senanku relation-
to form between them. ship. these kinds of exchanges remind the
these special relationships are called members of the two families of their historic
senankuya, or “joking relationships.” Senan- relationship and demonstrate that nothing
kuya recognizes the special ancient bonds truly bad can ever occur between them.

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