Black Horse

The Epic of Sunjata

In short: Compare a Sunjata telling published in Mali with the epic tradition kept alive alongside the Sosso-Bala in Guinea.

The Epic of Sunjata · Words and balafon FAIRY TALE ATLAS · № 105 The Epic of Sunjata Compare a Sunjata telling published in Mali with the epic tradition kept alive alongside the Sosso-Bala in Guinea. Origin Bamako, Mali Atlas record 1970 First appearance Exact date unknown SIGNATURE MOTIF Words and balafon Reach¹ 2/10 Suggested age² 8+ Member rating No votes yet 2 records · 2 countries or regions blackhorsestories.com

¹ Based on the number of Atlas countries, capped at 10. ² Editorial suggestion for reading this page. Discover Black Horse’s question

Origin and tradition

Bamako, Mali

What changes when an epic is read in a book instead of heard from a teller? Tiémoko Koné’s version was recorded in Bambara and French. The Sosso-Bala in Nyagassola shows how words and music accompany the story of Sunjata. These records document different parts of the Manding tradition.

Dated records and sources

  1. 1970 · Bamako, Mali
    Tiémoko Koné · Soundiata · Institut des sciences humaines du Mali · Published collection
  2. 2008 · Nyagassola, Guinea
    UNESCO · Cultural space of Sosso-Bala · Heritage listing

Country pages

Fairy Tale Glossary

Origin
Black Horse. The Epic of Sunjata. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/atlas-tale-sunjata/