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Maurice Delafosse and the pre-Sunjata Trône du Mandé

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 December 2009

David C. Conrad
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Extract

Scholars working with problems in ethnology, languages and history of the Manding-speaking peoples and some of their western Sudanic neighbours have long been aware that while much in the impressive range of works by Maurice Delafosse demands consultation, the writings of this prolific but fallible pioneer in West African studies must be treated with an extra measure of caution. The more one makes use of what is perhaps Delafosse's best-known work, Haut-Sénégal-Niger, the more apparent it becomes that a critical reassessment of his writings would be desirable.

Type
Notes and Communications
Information
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies , Volume 46 , Issue 2 , June 1983 , pp. 335 - 337
Copyright
Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 1983

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References

1 Beckingham, C. F., ‘The pilgrimage and death od Sākūra, King of Mali’, BSOAS, XV, 2, 1953, 391–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2 An ethno-linguistic term now usually replaced by ‘Manding’, designating an area and a people that subsequently formed the nucleus of the Mali Empire. the founding of which is traditionally credited to Sunjata.

3 Haut-Sénégal-Niger, Paris, 1912 (repr. 1972), II, 175Google Scholar.

4 Fr. De Zeltner, , Contes du Sénégal et du Niger, Paris, 1913, 37 and 44Google Scholar; Delafosse, M., ‘Traditions historiques et légendaires du Soudan occidental’, Bulletin du Comité de ľAfrique Francais et du Comité du Maroc, 1913, 293–301 298;Google Scholar, Frobenius, Leo, Atlantis, Vol.v: Dichten und Denken im Sudan, Jena, 1925, 304;Google Scholar, Niane, D. T., Sundiata: an epic of Old Mali, London, 1965, 2Google Scholar; Niane, D. T., ‘Recherches sur ľempire du Mali au moyen âge’, Recherches Africaines (NS), 1959, I, pp. 17–46, p. 43;Google Scholar, Diabete, M. M., Kala Jata, Bamako, 1970, 12;Google Scholar, Sory Camara, ‘Ľhistoire pour les Mandenka’, International Conference on Manding Studies, SOAS, University of London, 1972, Report by Moore, Bai, (typescript), 6 and 24.Google Scholar

5 Encyclopédie de ľIslam (nouvelle édition), Leyde, Paris, 1960, I, 1251.Google Scholar

6 Zeltner, Contes, 44.

7 Frobenius, Dichten, 304.

8 ‘Traditions’, 298.

9 ibid.

10 p. 175.

11 See Levtzion, Nehemiah, Ancient Ghana and Mali, London, 1973, 209–13.Google Scholar

12 ‘Traditions’, 298; see also Adam, M. -G., ‘Légendes historiques du pays de Nioro (Sahel)’, Revue Coloniale (NS), 1903, III, 354–72, 354Google Scholar, where ‘Digui Moussa’ is described as a ‘habitual’ visitor to Mecca.

13 p. 176.

14 Boyer, G., ‘Un peuple de ľouest soudanais: les Diawara’, Mémoires de ľInstitut FranÇais ďAfrique Noire, no. 29, Paris, 1953, 23–35;Google Scholar Adam, ‘Légendes’, 232–48, 236–7.