Gana | WCIV102 Project | Joseph Maher

Defining Characteristics

When Rome fell, Carthage in northern Africa gained trading power. By cracking the "secret code" to finding safe land routes to Carthage, Gana was able to make itself a lot of money, both in trading and in charging tolls on its roads¹.
By the 10th century AD, everyone, including Middle East scholars, recognized Gana's king as the richest man on the planet due to his gold holdings.
However, Gana's value didn't just lie in its gold, or its trading routes. Rather, its griots, that is, oral storytellers, were responsible for maintaining one of the richest oral traditions in western Africa.
Thankfully, that tradition is preserved for us, most especially in Gassire's Lute, which we read in class. This story, first thought to have been written down in the 600s AD, tells one of the foundation myths for Wagadu – another name for the Kingdom of Gana.

Defined as shame, or the ability to act appropriately.
One should accept their responsibilities without question and be careful in speech and deed.
Essentially, act as is expected of you in wider society.

Literally "liver." It can be roughly translated as "the vigor required to get your responsibilities done."
In other words, don't be lazy.
This goes hand-in-hand with Yaagu.

This is usually translated as "work ethic."
In short, it is the work that one does for the community.
The better one's work ethic, the better the work that they do for the community/the more that the community benefits.

Notated in my notes as "the generosity of spirit required to fulfill one's social responsibilities."
Yes, the Soninke believed that you were morally obligated to be generous in spirit as you do boring things!
Thus, their morals are not centered around oneself, but rather around the wider community and its good.

The story of Gassire's Lute is one of the foundation of Gana, but also, interestingly, about its fall. Both are mentioned in the same short story.
Legend has it that Wagadu has risen and fallen 4 times in the past, and that it will rise for a fifth time, after which it cannot be destroyed (this is presented in msny folkloric tales).
The Soninke were an animist warrior people that emphasized selflessness in actions over everything else.
The Soninke are – if we can even imagine this – more community-centered than the Romans!