Page 112 - Empires of Medieval West Africa

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thE sonGhay pEoplE

THE SONGHAY PEOPLE OF TODAY LIvE IN A REGION THAT op p os it e
extends into three modern countries: Mali’s Niger Bend area, down the Nobody knows what Askia
river in the Republic of Niger, and northern Benin. In rural villages of Muhammad actually
the Niger Bend and the Inland Delta, the Songhay are mainly millet and looked like, but this statue
stands in a street of Gao
rice farmers.
because his memory is so
Songhay society consists of peoples of various cultures who speak important to the Songhay
different languages and come from neighboring regions. It therefore people of today.
embraces a wide variety of customs and influences from elsewhere. For
example, the oral artists of the Songhay are very similar to the Maninka
and Bamana bards known as jeliw. Like the jeliw. Like the jeliw jeliw, they specialize in eliw, they specialize in eliw
j j
speech, music, and storytelling. But they are known by the Soninke
term gesere, which probably indicates that they originated in ancient
Ghana. When gesere narrate their oral traditions, they sometimes use
a secret language, which consists of Soninke with some words of Fula
and Bamana.
Songhay society is organized and governed according to social
status. People of highest rank are the descendants of nobles and rulers
of the Songhay Empire. One distinct social group is made up of people
claiming to be descendants of the great ruler Sii Ali Beeri, for example.
Another group identifies itself as descendants of Askia Mohammed
Touré. They share power and influence with local Muslim religious
leaders. Depending on the size of the community, there might also be a
government official in residence.
Many of the ordinary peasant farmers, craftsmen, and domestic
workers are descended from conquered peoples of medieval times.
The ancestors of these groups were captives and slaves. Slavery made

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