This is the best present I can say will make my body move, this is it, the 
spoirit, the rthing.
I love this mail,m African gods & beliefs. This is the Bomb !
You make my DAY.

P/S: Kangaba that my Roots. Yiou know alot too. my sincere respect.

Oko



________________________________
From: Haruna Darbo <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Mon, December 6, 2010 12:29:22 AM
Subject: Ace, while our friend Aboubacarr is busy on exams, I thought to share 
this primer from wiki-wiki.

So the area of our prospective pilgrimmage in Kangaba. I'll try to get a picture 
of the monument and share it here. Remember the KouroukanFouga can be 
universalized for the purposes of the Kouroukanbaa for the faithful. That's 
where a WACE Festival will come in.

Thank you for sharing the Guardian's update on Ivory Coast. Haruna.

Kouroukan Fouga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kouroukan Fouga or Kurukan Fuga is purported to be the constitution of the 
Mali Empire (mid-thirteenth century to c. 1645), created after the Battle of 
Krina by an assembly of notables to create a government for the newly 
established empire. It was first alluded to in print in Djibril Tamsir Niane's 
book, Soundjata, ou la Epoupée Mandingue. Subsequently versions of it were 
published in Mandinka and translated by Youssouf Cissé into French in 1991, and 
finally, a version of compiled in 1998 by a group of traditional historians as 
well as modern linguists.
According to these texts, the Kouroukan Fouga established the federation of 
Mandinka clans under one government, outlined how it would operate and 
established the laws by which the people would live. Mansa (Emperor) Sundiata 
Keita presented the document at a plain near the town of Ka-ba (present day 
Kangaba), and it has survived through oral tradition passed down by generations 
of djeli or griots. The djeli have preserved much of the history of the Mali 
Empire including its kings, battles and system of government.
Contents[hide]
	* 1 Rediscovery and publication
	* 2 Historic and cultural importance
	* 3 Contents 
	* 3.1 Social Organization
	* 3.2 Of Goods
	* 3.3 Preservation of Nature
	* 3.4 Final Disposals
	* 4 Notes
	* 5 References
	* 6 External links 
[edit] Rediscovery and publication
Although texts of the Kouroukan Fouga were published earlier, notably by Cissé, 
they were normally based on the testimony of a single informant. In order to 
create a more comprehensive text, in 1998, a regional workshop was held in 
Kankan, Guinea to publish and preserve the oral history related to the area's 
djeli or griots. Assisted by modern communicators and Guinea linguists under the 
supervision of Siriman Kouyaté, the leading traditionalists authority from 
Niagasole in Guinea, transcribed and translated the laws and edicts preserved in 
different regions from the core of the Mali Empire. Kouyaté then organized the 
recorded edicts, making sure not alter their original translation.
The Kouroukan Fouga, as published by Kouyaté, contains 44 edicts. They are 
divided into four sections concerned with Social Organization (edicts 1-30), 
Property Rights (edicts 31-36), Environmental Protection (edicts 37-39) and 
Personal Responsibilities (edicts 40-44).
[edit] Historic and cultural importance
Although it is purported to be a faithful reproduction of a charter created in 
the fourteenth century, the Kouroukan Fouga, is a modern oral tradition. Niane, 
Cissé, and others from the generation of scholars in the 1960s firmly believed 
that the Mandinka jelis were capable of recalling ancient texts and facts for 
great lengths of time without alteration. More recent scholars, however, have 
questioned how much of this and other oral traditions about ancient Mali can 
contain, and how many accretions or alterations have slipped in. While there is 
not a consensus on the matter, the degree to which the modern text can be said 
to be an unaltered text of the original charter, if indeed there were one at 
that time, has to be considered controversial.[3]
For those who accept that the present version of the Kouroukan Fouga represents 
the original charter, the Mali Imperial constitution is regarded as a landmark 
achievement in the history of Africa and the world for several reasons. As far 
as global significance, the document is one of the earliest declarations of 
human rights. Its importance to Africa is demonstrated in three main 
achievements. First, it established uniform laws and regulations over a 
significant portion of West Africa (equal to the size of Western Europe) for the 
first time in recorded history. Second, it afforded uniform rights for all 
citizens including women and slaves, unheard of in many parts of the world. 
Third, it is uniquely African in that it does not directly borrow from any 
existing law documents as opposed to the Ethiopian Fetha Negest. The prominence 
of the Mandinka in West Africa allowed the ideas and values within the Kouroukan 
Fouga to spread far beyond the borders of the Mali Empire. Many peoples related 
to the Mande still abide by its traditions.
[edit] Contents
The Kouroukan Fouga divided the new empire into ruling clans (lineages) that 
were represented at a great assembly called the Gbara. There were 16 clans known 
as the Djon-Tan-Nor-Woro (quiver carriers) responsible for leading and defending 
the empire. There were also 4 clans known as the Mori-Kanda-Lolou (guardians of 
the faith) that guided the ruling clans in matters of Islamic law. There were 4 
nyamakala clans (people of caste) who had the monopoly on certain trades, which 
included but was not limited to smelting, woodworking, and tanners. Lastly, 
there were 4 clans of djeli (masters of speech) who recorded the history of the 
empire through song. Combined these would make up the 29 seat Gbara at the plain 
of Kouroukan Fougan (named after the event where Sundiata "divided the world"). 
The 30th seat was likely occupied by the mansa's djeli called the belen-tigui 
(master of ceremonies), or may have been reserved for a female monitor since the 
constitution states women are to be represented at all levels of government 
(edict 16).
[edit] Social Organization
	* Article 1: The Great Mande Society is divided into sixteen clans of quiver 
carriers, five clans of marabouts, four groups of "nyamakalas" and one group of 
slaves. Each one has a specific activity and role.
	* Article 2: The "nyamakalas" must devote themselves to tell the truth to the 
chiefs, to be their counsellors and to defend by the speech the established 
rulers and the order upon the whole territory.
	* Article 3: The five clans of marabouts are our teachers and our educators in 
Islam. Everyone has to hold them in respect and consideration.
	* Article 4: The society is divided into age groups. Those born during a period 
of three years in succession belong to the same age-group. The members of the 
intermediary class between young and old people, should be invited to take part 
in the making of important decisions concerning the society.
	* Article 5: Everybody has a right to life and to the preservation of physical 
integrity. Accordingly, any attempt to deprive one's fellow being of life is 
punished with death.
	* Article 6: To win the battle of prosperity, the general system of supervision 
has been established to fight against laziness and idleness.
	* Article 7: The sanankunya (joking relationship) and the tanamannyonya (blood 
pact) have been established among the Mandenkas. Consequently any contention 
that occurs among these groups should not degenerate the respect for one another 
being the rule. Between brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, between grandparents 
and grandchildren, tolerance should be the principle.
	* Article 8: The Keïta family is nominated reigning family upon the empire.
	* Article 9: Children's education behooves the entire society. The paternal 
authority in consequence falls to everyone.
	* Article 10: We should offer condolences mutually.
	* Article 11: When your wife or your child runs away, stop running after them 
in the neighbour's house.
	* Article 12: The succession being patrilinear, never relinquish power to a son 
when one of his father's brothers is still alive. Never relinquish power to a 
minor just because he has goods.
	* Article 13: Never offend the Nyaras (the talented).
	* Article 14: Never offend women, our mothers.
	* Article 15: Never beat a married woman before her husband has tried to 
correct the problem.
	* Article 16: Women, apart from their everyday occupations, should be 
associated with all our managements.
	* Article 17: Lies that have lived for 40 years should be considered like 
truths.
	* Article 18: We should respect the law of primogeniture.
	* Article 19: Any man has two parents-in-law: the parents of the girl we failed 
to have and the speech we deliver without any constraint. We have to hold them 
in respect and consideration.
	* Article 20: Do not ill treat the slaves. We are the master of the slave but 
not the bag he carries.
	* Article 21: Do not follow up with your constant attentions the wives of the 
chief, of the neighbour, of the marabout, of the priest, of the friend and of 
the partner.
	* Article 22: Vanity is the sign of weakness and humility the sign of 
greatness.
	* Article 23: Never betray one another. Respect your word of honour.
	* Article 24: In Manden, do not maltreat the foreigners.
	* Article 25: The ambassador does not risk anything in Manden.
	* Article 26: The bull confided to your care should not lead the cattle-pen.
	* Article 27: A girl can be given in marriage as soon as she is pubescent 
without age determination.
	* Article 28: A young man can marry at age 20.
	* Article 29: The dowry is fixed at 3 cows: one for the girl, two for the 
father and mother.
	* Article 30: In Mande, divorce is tolerated for one of the following reasons: 
the impotence of the husband, the madness of one of the spouses, the husband's 
incapability of assuming the obligations due to the marriage. The divorce should 
occur out of the village. (The French version published in 1998 does not include 
this article, but splits article 34 into two, numbering the intervening articles 
differently).
	* Article 31: We should help those who are in need.
[edit] Of Goods
	* Article 32: There are five ways to acquire property: buying, donation, 
exchange, work and inheriting. Any other form without convincing testimony is 
doubtful.
	* Article 33: Any object found without a known owner becomes common property 
only after four years.
	* Article 34: The fourth heifer born is the property of the guardian of the 
heifer. One egg out of four is the property of the guardian of the laying hen.
	* Article 35: One bovine should be exchanged for four sheep or four goats.
	* Article 36: To satisfy one's hunger is not robbery if you don't take away 
anything in your bag or your pocket.
[edit] Preservation of Nature
	* Article 37: Fakombè is nominated chief of hunters.
	* Article 38: Before setting fire to the bush, don't look down at the ground, 
raise your head in the direction of the top of the trees to see whether they 
bear fruits or flowers.
	* Article 39: Domestic animals should be tied during cultivation and freed 
after the harvest. The dog, the cat, the duck and the poultry are not bound by 
the measure.
[edit] Final Disposals
	* Article 40: Respect kinship, marriage and the neighbourhood.
	* Article 41: You can kill the enemy, but not humiliate him.
	* Article 42: In big assemblies, be satisfied with your lawful representatives.
	* Article 43: Balla Fassèkè Kouyaté is nominated chief of ceremonies and main 
mediator in Manden. He is allowed to joke with all groups, in priority with the 
royal family.
	* Article 44: All those who will transgress these rules will be punished. 
Everyone is bound to make effective their implementation.
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