Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali Glossary

Glossary of Terms

balafon

the stringed instrument played by the griots

baobab

a leaf from a particular tree in Mali, used as a condiment

bulwark

a person, institution or principle that acts as a defense agianst something

calabash

a gourd used for storing liquid or food

cowries

shells used as money for the Mandingo people

fetish

a physical object that contains a magical power

gnougou

a condiment used by the Mandingo, especially common at Niani

granaries

large structures intended for stories grain

griot

a singer, storyteller and historian of old Mali. They also serve as counselors to kings

jinn

a spirit of nature, common in Mandingo religion

mithkal

an Arab unit of measurement, used in Mandingo to mean the smallest possible amount of something

mosque

a Muslim place of worship

n'na

the Mandingo word for mother

savanna

a grassy plain in tropical or sub-tropical areas, with few trees

sofas

soldiers in the army of the Mali Empire

soothsayer

one who practices divination (the process of telling the future)

taboo

a prohibition enforced by magic. The breaker of a taboo often suffers punishment by a magical force.

viceroy

a figure of authority who serves under a higher sovereign; a second-in-command

wori

a popular game played in medieval Africa, involving small stones

wraith

a ghost or spirit that possesses humans