Latest / The Songhai Empire: Africa's Powerful Forgotten Kingdom — Fexingo History
The Sunjata Epic: Songhai's Rival Origin Story
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Sunjata epic—the foundational oral tradition of the Mali Empire—and its complex relationship with Songhai history. They discuss how the epic was preserved by griots, its historical core versus legendary embellishments, and why Songhai rulers like Askia Muhammad both admired and distanced themselves from Mali's hero. The episode touches on the role of the Sundiata Keita, the Battle of Kirina, the griot Balla Fasséké, and the epic's transmission through lineages like the Kouyaté family. Lucas explains how the epic served political purposes…
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