Balla Fasséké
Encyclopedia
In the ancient Africa
n oral tradition
of the Epic of Sundjata, Balla Fasséké is Sundiata Keita
's griot
. King Naré Maghann Konaté offered his son Sundiata a griot, Balla Fasséké, to advise him in his reign. Balla Fasséké is thus considered the first griot and the founder of the Kouyaté line of griots that exists to this day.
Griot's were the "present each king gives his successor," they were the aristocratic
oral historians that attended kings, recording and recalling the legacies of kings and kingdoms. Griots have existed "since time immemorial," or as long as "Koyotes have been in the service of the Keita princes of Mali."
, is the son of a long lineage of hunters distinguished because of their skill, bravery, and ability to communicate with the guardian spirits who ruled over Mali in the 13th century. A hunter comes to him with a prophecy that two hunters would come to the king with a very ugly woman whom he must marry, as she would bear him Mali's greatest king ever. This prophecy does come true, and two hunters arrive with a hunchback woman named Sogolon Kedju. The hunters explain that she is the human double of a buffalo.
King Maghan and Sogolon soon conceive a child, named Sundiata. However, Maghan's first wife, Sassouma Berete, was jealous, and had hoped her own son, Dankaran Touman, would be the heir to the throne. Later, Sassouma is relieved when the new child turned out to be lazy, gluttonous and ugly. Dying, King Maghan gives Balla Fasséké, the son of the king's own griot, to Sundjata as a gift, still honoring the prophecy.
Sassouma now has taken control of the throne, and insults Sogolon and her son often. One day, when Sogolon cries from these insults, Sundjata says, "Cheer up, Mother. I am going to walk today." Sundjata, with the help of an iron rod, is able to lift himself up. Sundjata is now a threat to the false king Dankaran and her mother. Sassouma, in response to this, sends Balla Fasséké and Sundjata's half sister Nana to the sorcerer king Suomaoro Kante, of the Sosso, who had been threatening all of the kingdoms with his growing army.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n oral tradition
Oral tradition
Oral tradition and oral lore is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants...
of the Epic of Sundjata, Balla Fasséké is Sundiata Keita
Sundiata Keita
Sundiata Keita, Sundjata Keyita, Mari Djata I or just Sundiata was the founder of the Mali Empire and celebrated as a hero of the Malinke people of West Africa in the semi-historical Epic of Sundiata....
's griot
Griot
A griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
. King Naré Maghann Konaté offered his son Sundiata a griot, Balla Fasséké, to advise him in his reign. Balla Fasséké is thus considered the first griot and the founder of the Kouyaté line of griots that exists to this day.
Griot's were the "present each king gives his successor," they were the aristocratic
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
oral historians that attended kings, recording and recalling the legacies of kings and kingdoms. Griots have existed "since time immemorial," or as long as "Koyotes have been in the service of the Keita princes of Mali."
History
In the Epic of Sundjata, the king, Naré Maghann KonatéNaré Maghann Konaté
Naré Maghann Konaté was a 12th-century faama of the Mandinka people, in what is today Mali. He was the father of Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire, and a character in the oral tradition of the Epic of Sundiata....
, is the son of a long lineage of hunters distinguished because of their skill, bravery, and ability to communicate with the guardian spirits who ruled over Mali in the 13th century. A hunter comes to him with a prophecy that two hunters would come to the king with a very ugly woman whom he must marry, as she would bear him Mali's greatest king ever. This prophecy does come true, and two hunters arrive with a hunchback woman named Sogolon Kedju. The hunters explain that she is the human double of a buffalo.
King Maghan and Sogolon soon conceive a child, named Sundiata. However, Maghan's first wife, Sassouma Berete, was jealous, and had hoped her own son, Dankaran Touman, would be the heir to the throne. Later, Sassouma is relieved when the new child turned out to be lazy, gluttonous and ugly. Dying, King Maghan gives Balla Fasséké, the son of the king's own griot, to Sundjata as a gift, still honoring the prophecy.
Sassouma now has taken control of the throne, and insults Sogolon and her son often. One day, when Sogolon cries from these insults, Sundjata says, "Cheer up, Mother. I am going to walk today." Sundjata, with the help of an iron rod, is able to lift himself up. Sundjata is now a threat to the false king Dankaran and her mother. Sassouma, in response to this, sends Balla Fasséké and Sundjata's half sister Nana to the sorcerer king Suomaoro Kante, of the Sosso, who had been threatening all of the kingdoms with his growing army.