Manden Donsolu Kalikan

Intro

The following text is known as the Manden Donsolu Kalikan (Lit. "The oath/sermon of the hunters of Manden").

It is one of two texts that form what is often misleadingly called "the Mande/Manden charter" as if they formed a single document. The other text is known as the Kurukan Fuga (though it also sometimes called the "Manden Charter"),

Its mythical origin dates back to the 13th century when it said to have been pronounced for the first time shortly before Sunjata Keyita transformed a region, Manden, into a powerful polity that would rule over much of West Africa: the so-called Mali Empire, as it is referred to in English and French today.

This political formation is in large part responsible for the spread of Manding varieties — Bambara, Jula, Maninka, Mandinka, etc — across West Africa today.

The Manden Donsolu Kalikan is a product of the vibrant oral history tradition that exists in Manding-speaking communities. This is something that is primarily undertaken by a special social class of bards (jeli 'bard; griot') who are responsible for transmitting epics and other forms of oral history and literature. The most famous of the epics is that of Sunjata Keyita, the aforementioned founder of the Mali Empire.

The Manden Donsolu Kalikan originally appeared in print for the first time in 1991 in "Soundjata, La Gloire du Mali: la Grande Geste du Mali" by Youssouf Tata Cissé and Wâ Kamissoko. This book — the second of two volumes — is largely a recounting of Sunjata's reign over the Mali Empire based upon the Cissé's exchanges in Maninka with the bard (jeli) Wâ Kamissoko. But Cissé also drew on his fieldnotes "to fill in certain gaps and also to make the stories and statements of Wâ Kamissoko more clear and direct" (p. 9).

The Manden Donsolu Kalikan appears near the end of what would have been the Sunjata epic within the book. It does not appear in other versions of epic. The West Africanist historian Gregory Mann hypothesizes that its appearance can be attributed to the researcher Cissé, who drew on fieldwork with other interlocutors in West Africa, instead of the bard Kamissoko.

The hunter (donso) is an important historical and modern figure in Manding-speaking society and much of West Africa. Hunters of course hunt. But they also are often considered to have deep historical knowledge of nature, medicine and the unseen spiritual world in a way that is often held to be distinct and even older than found in the Islamic tradition that more publicly pervades daily life now. Indeed, two of the initial man characters of the Sunjata epic are brothers who are also hunters. And Sunjata himself was a hunter.

It is impossible to know the true origin of the Manden Donsolu Kalikan. Was it actually pronounced in the 13th century? Was it made up in the 1960s when Cissé would have been doing fieldwork? For Gregory Mann, the historian, the text provides one major hint of its origin, which suggests that neither interpretation may be right. The text has a strong anti-slavery message, which suggests a connection to the 1860s to 1890s when enslavement was a distinct risk:

[…] the Oath can be located in a specific, lived history, one still faint on the horizon of living memory in the 1960s, in which endemic conflict generated displacement, famine, and poverty on a broad swath of territory radiating out from what is now southern Mali

(Mann, 2022, p. 140)

The text is of interest for you as a student of Maninka in a few ways.

Language-wise, it presents:

stylistic conventions related to oral literature
a variety of Maninka that is somewhere between "standard Maninka" (based on the variety of Kankan) and Bambara/Jula

Culturally, it points to

the historical place and polity of Manden
the historical figure of Sunjata Keyita
the cultural figure of the donso
the historical legacy of slavery and conflict in the Manding-speaking West Africa

The Text and Its Orthography

The version that appears here is one that I prepared myself.

It is based on a previous iteration done by Gérard Galtier, a French scholar who previously worked in the literacy industry in Mali and wrote a dissertation about Manding dialectology in which he proposed a harmonized orthographic system that could be used across the Manding language-dialect continuum.

The original source text is found in Youssouf Tata Cissé's 2003 book "La Charte du Mandé et autres traditions du Mali" (published by Albin Michel).

Galtier's version of the text included a few orthographic updates that were designed to put the text more into line with general modern spelling practices used across Manding varieties. He also specifically aimed to make the text more "pan-Manding", so that the spelling conventions would match those also used in Bambara and Jula and not solely in Maninka. Specifically he did the following:

Replaced intervocalic k with g (e.g., faga instead of faka for 'kill')
Replaced dy with j (e.g., jugu instead of dyugu 'cruel')
Generalized the use of a long vowel for low-tone monosyllable words (e.g., buu instead of bu 'flesh')
Adopted the convention nî instead of ni for 'soul; life' to make it easier to distinguish it from ni 'and', etc., when reading

With the permission of Youssouf Tata Cissé, he also fixed two typos:

Replaced tan-ni-naani ('fourteen') with tan-ni-fila ('twelve') in the introduction's line about the hunters addressing the "twelve parts of the world" because that is the number is, according to Cissé, the most prevalent across the different versions of the text
In article 7, he replaced the typo of galo with the correct form golo 'skin'

In my version, I have further standardized the spelling.

Where applicable, I have introduced the standard Latin-extended characters that are now used in Bambara, Jula and Maninka: ɛ, ɲ, ŋ and ɔ.

I have also removed the non-standard lengthening of low-tone monosyllabic words (that is, I write bu instead of buu 'flesh').

I have done away with the French orthographic convention of adding an additional space before two-dotted punctuation marks (e.g., the colon :, etc).

In a few cases, I have rewritten various compound words that appeared as "open compounds" (that is, with a space between the elements) as "solid compounds" (that is, with no space) or "hyphenated compounds" (that is, with a hyphen between the elements). For instance, sago-na-mɔgɔ instead of saga na mɔgɔ "person on one's choosing").

Listen

If you care to, you can first try to listen to my imperfect reading of the Kalikan before following along with the text :-)

Listen and Read

1 Manden sigila bɛn ni kanu le kan, ani hɔrɔnya ni badenya.
2 O kɔrɔ le ko siyawoloma te Manden tugun.
3 An ka kɛlɛ kɔrɔ dɔ filɛ nin di.
4 O la sa, Sanɛnɛ ni Kɔntɔrɔn dennu bɛ na u kan bɔ dunya faan tan-ni-fila ma, Manden bɛɛ ladɛlen tɔgɔ la:

5 Donsolu ko:
6 Ko nî bɛɛ: nî
7 Ko toɲa koni don, ko nî bɛ bɔ fɔɲɔ na nî nya,
8 Ko nka nî man kɔrɔ ni nî di,
9 Ko nî man fisa ni nî di.

10 Donsolu ko:
11 Nî bɛɛ, nî;
12 Nî tɔɔrɔ sarabali te.
13 O la sa,
14 Ko mɔgɔ si kana bila i sigiɲɔgɔn na,
15 Ko mɔgɔ kana i mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔn nî matɔɔrɔ,
16 Ko mɔgɔ kana i mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔn lajaba.

17 Donsolu ko:
18 Ko bɛɛ k'i jaan to i mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔnnu na,
19 Ko bɛɛ k'i bangebagalu bato,
20 Ko bɛɛ k'i dennu lamɔ a ɲa ma,
21 Ko bɛɛ k'i la lumɔgɔlu ladon.

22 Donsolu ko:
23 Ko bɛɛ k'i jan to i faso la;
24 Ko n'i nɔ a mɛn ko faso, n'o ye jamana di,
25 Ko mɔgɔlu ko don,
26 Ko ni mɔgɔ banna jamana wo jamana kɔ kan,
27 Ko o jamana wo dugukolo yɛrɛ bɛ ɲanafin.

28 Donsolu ko:
29 Ko kɔngɔ man ɲi,
30 Ko jɔnya man ɲi;
31 Ko kɔngɔ ni jɔnya ɲɔgɔn ko jugu te
32 Dunya-so yan.
33 Ko ka ton ni kala to annu bolo,
34 Ko kɔngɔ te mɔgɔ faga tugun, Manden,
35 Ni jaa kɛra nafɛn di;
36 Ko kɛlɛ te dugu ti tugun, Manden,
37 Ka a jɔn bɔ;
38 Ko nɛgɛ te don mɔgɔ da rɔ tugun, Manden
39 Ka wa a feere;
40 Ko mɔgɔ te bugɔ tugun, Manden,
41 Sanko k'a faga,
42 K'i ye jɔn-den di.

43 Donsolu ko:
44 Ko jɔnya si lasala bi,
45 Manden dɛnɛn n'a dɛnɛn;
46 Ko binkanni dabilala bi, Manden,
47 Ko ɲani jugu banna bi, Manden.
48 Kɔngɔ man ɲi,
49 Malo te kɔngɔtɔ la
50 Ɲani man ɲi
51 Jɔ-yɔrɔ te ɲanibagatɔ la;
52 Danbe te jɔn na
53 Duniya yɔrɔ si.

54 Fɔlɔ mɔgɔlu ko:
55 Ko mɔgɔnin-fin yɛrɛ-kun,
56 A kolo n'a bu
57 A sɛmɛ n'a fasa,
58 A golo n'a fari kan si,
59 Ko olu bɛ balo suman ni ji le la;
60 Ko nka k'a nî bɛ balo fɛn saba la:
61 Sago-na-mɔgɔ ye,
62 Sago-na-kuma fɔ,
63 Ani sago-na-ko kɛ;
64 Ko ni nin fɛn saba dɔ ye nî majɛ,
65 Ko nî bɛ tɔɔrɔ, Ko nî bɛ tyɔɔlɔ.
66 O la sa, donsolu ko:
67 Ko bɛɛ wasa b'i yɛrɛ rɔ,
68 N'a ma kɛ i faso tana tiɲa di;
69 Ko bɛɛ ta ye i sɔrɔfɛn di.

70 Manden kalikan filɛ nin di,
71 Ka a da duniya bɛɛ ladɛlen tolo kan.

Listen and Read With Notes

1 Manden sigila bɛn ni kanu le kan, ani hɔrɔnya ni badenya.

Manden sigila = Manden siida ('Manden was "seated"')

2 O kɔrɔ le ko siyawoloma te Manden tugun.

kɔrɔ = kɔdɔ ('meaning')
tugun = tuun; munun ('anymore')

3 An ka kɛlɛ kɔrɔ dɔ filɛ nin di.

An ka kɛlɛ = An na kɛlɛ ('our fight')
kɔrɔ = kɔdɔ ('old')

4 O la sa, Sanɛnɛ ni Kɔntɔrɔn dennu bɛ na u kan bɔ duniya fan tan-ni-fila ma, Manden bɛɛ ladɛlen tɔgɔ la:

Sanɛnɛ ni Kɔntɔrɔn dennu = Lit. "The children of Sanɛnɛ and Kɔntɔrɔn". Is an obscure reference to the Manden hunters.
fan = Lit. "side"; here: "region; district; area"
ka ladɛ = to gather/unite
-len = -nɛn (the resultative participle)

5 Donsolu ko:

6 Ko nî bɛɛ: nî

ko = quotative copula
nî = ni ('soul; life')
ni bɛɛ: ni = all lives are lives

7 Ko toɲa konin don, ko nî bɛ bɔ fɔɲɔ na nî ɲa,

toɲa = tuɲa ("truth")
don = cf. the presentative copula "le" in Maninka
fɔɲɔ = wind; air

8 Ko nka nî man kɔrɔ ni nî di

kɔrɔ = kɔdɔ ('old')
... ni X di = comparative construction

9 Ko nî man fisa ni nî di.

fisa = better

10 Donsolu ko:

11 Nî bɛɛ, nî;

12 Nî tɔɔrɔ sarabali te.

sarabali = roughly, "unpaid" (< sara.bali)
te = tɛ (situative copula)

13 O la sa,

o la sa = therefore (Lit. "It on sa")

14 Ko mɔgɔ si kana bila i sigiɲɔgɔn na,

mɔgɔ = mɔɔ
sigiɲɔgɔn = siiɲɔɔn

15 Ko mɔgɔ kana i mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔn nî matɔɔrɔ,

mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔn = fellow person
k'à matɔɔrɔ = to sb suffer

16 Ko mɔgɔ kana i mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔn lajaba.

k'à lajaba = to wrong sb

17 Donsolu ko:

18 Ko bɛɛ k'i jan to i mɔgɔ ɲɔgɔnnu na,

k'i jan to fen na = to mind sth [sometimes written "k'i janto fen na"]

19 Ko bɛɛ k'i bangebagalu bato,

bɛɛ k'i = bɛɛ ka i (cf. "bɛɛ ye i" --> optative construction)
k'à bange = to give birth to sb/sth
k'à bato = to worship sth

20 Ko bɛɛ k'i dennu lamɔ a ɲa ma,

k'à lamɔ = Lit. "to make ripen sth"
a ɲa ma = Lit. "in its way" --> "appropriately; well; correctly"

21 Ko bɛɛ k'i la lumɔgɔlu ladon.

k'à ladon = to maintain sth

22 Donsolu ko:

23 Ko bɛɛ k'i jan to i faso la;

24 Ko n'i nɔ a mɛn ko faso, n'o ye jamana di,

nɔ = special kind of predicate marker for the past
ni o ye X di = that is to say X

25 Ko mɔgɔlu ko don,

ko = affair; matter

26 Ko ni mɔgɔ banna jamana wo jamana kɔ kan,

ka ban = to end
wo = distributive marker

27 Ko o jamana wo dugukolo yɛrɛ bɛ ɲanafin.

yɛrɛ = cf. jɛdɛ ('self'; Fr. "même")
ka ɲanafin = to be sad/nostalgic

28 Donsolu ko:

29 Ko kɔngɔ man ɲi,

kɔngɔ = hunger

30 Ko jɔnya man ɲi;

jɔn = slave

31 Ko kɔngɔ ni jɔnya ɲɔgɔn ko jugu te

X ɲɔgɔn te = There is nothing comparable to X

32 Duniyaso yan.

duniyaso = duniya-so (Lit. "world-house")

33 Ko ka ton ni kala to annu bolo,

ton = quiver
kala = arc
ka to = to remain

34 Ko kɔngɔ te mɔgɔ faga tugun, Manden,

k'à faga = ka faa ("to kill sth")

35 Ni ja kɛra nafɛn di;

ja = drought
nafɛn = nafen ('come-thing')

36 Ko kɛlɛ te dugu ti tugun, Manden,

dugu = Lit. "land"; used in some Manding varieties to refer to towns (whereas in Maninka one often hears "so")
k'à ti = to break/smash/shatter

37 Ka a jɔn bɔ;

à jɔn = its slave(s)
k'à bɔ = to make sth come out

38 Ko nɛgɛ te don mɔgɔ da rɔ tugun, Manden

nɛgɛ = nɛɛ ('metal; iron')
da rɔ = da dɔ ('in the mouth')

39 Ka wa a feere;

ka wa = to go
ka feere = to sell

40 Ko mɔgɔ te bugɔ tugun, Manden,

k'à bugɔ = to hit sb

41 Sanko k'a faga,

sanko = "all the more so"; "a fortiori"

42 K'i ye jɔnden di.

k'i = ko i

43 Donsolu ko:

44 Ko jɔnya si lasala bi,

si = lifespan
k'à lasa = to make sth die

45 Manden dɛnɛn n'a dɛnɛn;

dɛnɛn = wall

46 Ko binkanni dabilala bi, Manden,

binnkanni = attack (< bin-n-kan (Lit. "fall-me-upon")
k'à dabila = to stop sth; to put a stop to sth

47 Ko ɲanin jugu banna bi, Manden.

ɲanin = affliction; trouble; suffering

48 Kɔngɔ man ɲi,

49 Malo te kɔngɔtɔ la

malo = shame; here, "dignity"
-tɔ = person that is subject to sth

50 Ɲani man ɲi

51 Jɔyɔrɔ te ɲaninbagatɔ la;

jɔyɔrɔ = standing place

52 Danbe te jɔn na

danbe = honor

53 Duniya yɔrɔ si.

54 Fɔlɔ mɔgɔlu ko:

55 Ko mɔgɔninfin yɛrɛkun,

mɔgɔninfin = person
yɛrɛkun = totality; whole (< yɛrɛ-kun "self-head")

56 A kolo n'a bu

kolo = bone
bu = flesh

57 A sɛmɛ n'a fasa,

sɛmɛ = marrow
fasa = sinew

58 A golo n'a fari-kan-si,

golo = gbolo ('skin')
fari-kan-si = fadi-kan-si "body-on-hair"

59 Ko olu bɛ balo suman ni ji le la;

k'à balo = to nourrish sth
suman = crop

60 Ko nka k'a nî bɛ balo fɛn saba la:

k'a = ko à

61 Sago-na-mɔgɔ ye,

sago-na-mɔgɔ = Lit. "wish-on-person"
k'à ye

62 Sago-na-kuma fɔ,

63 Ani sago-na-ko kɛ;

64 Ko ni nin fɛn saba dɔ ye nî majɛ,

k'à majɛ = to be taken away from sb; to be denied of sb

65 Ko nî bɛ tɔɔrɔ, Ko nî bɛ cɔɔlɔ.

ka cɔɔlɔ = to weaken

66 O la sa, donsolu ko:

67 Ko bɛɛ wasa b'i yɛrɛ rɔ,

wasa = happiness; satisfaction

68 N'a ma kɛ i faso tana tiɲa di;

N'a = Ni a
tana = taboo
ka kɛ X di = to be/become X

69 Ko bɛɛ ta ye i sɔrɔfɛn di.

ta = possessive pronoun
sɔrɔfɛn = sɔdɔn.fen ('obtain-thing')

70 Manden kalikan filɛ nin di,

ka kali = to swear; to pledge

71 Ka a da duniya bɛɛ ladɛlen tolo kan.

k'à da = to lay down sth
tolo = ear

Comphrension Questions

Manden siida mun ne kan?

Kalikan nin ko ni bɛɛ ka kan ɲa di?

Kalikan di mun fɔ mɔɔ-gbɛdɛ-matɔɔrɔli kan?

Kalikan ko bɛɛ ka kan ka mun kɛ à la denbaya ye?

Mun kosɔn an ka kan k'an faso ladon?

Kalikan di kuma ko juu belebeleba fila ɲiman ne kan?

Kɔngɔ ni jɔnya baa ban Manden, mun di kɛ?

Munna an y'à fɔla ko jɔn tɛ malo?

Mɔgɔbakɔdɔlu ko adamaden ni mako ye fen saba ɲiman na?

Vocab

Vocab will be here at some point!

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