Gassire’s Lute – A West African Epic

“Four times Wagadu rose. A great city, gleaming in the light of day. Four times Wagadu fell. And disappeared from human sight. Once through vanity. Once through dishonesty. Once through greed. Once through discord.”

Thus begins Gassire’s Lute, a West African epic poem of the Soninke, the rulers of the ancient kingdom of Ghana. Gassire’s Lute tells the story of Gassire, a vain warrior obsessed with immortality. He gives up everything to gain immortality through the Dausi, a song that would allow his exploits to live on forever.

The epic was originally documented in 1905 by Leo Frobenius, a German anthropologist. This most recent adaptation is done by anthropologist Alta Jablow, Professor Emeritus of Brooklyn College . It also includes an essay by Jablow that gives special insight to the epic and the history it represents.  I found it amusing that Mr. Frobenius used Lute to describe the musical instrument of Gassire. Today this instrument is widely known as a kora. This book is an interesting read, one of a few that gives a view of the nobility, dignity and history of the Soninke.  Professor Jablow does and excellent job bringing this epic tale to life and explaining its worth. A must have for anyone building a Sword and Soul reference library.

categories My Library | Milton January 20, 2010

8 Comments to “Gassire’s Lute – A West African Epic”

  1. By Paul McNamee, January 21, 2010 @ 9:37 am

    That is one heck of an opening tease for an epic.

    Thanks for bringing it to my attention, it’s on my list now.

  2. By Milton, January 21, 2010 @ 12:59 pm

    That opening is fantastic. Alta does an excellent job explaining the history surrounding Lute. The book itself is not long; Gassire’s Lute is only a portion of the epic. I think it’s essential for anyone interested in pre-colonial West African culture. I hope you enjoy it.

  3. By Melvin Carter, January 21, 2010 @ 5:01 pm

    I believe I read one version of the story in Basil Davidson’s collection of African legends and fables. I thought your blog sounded familiar!

  4. By Milton, January 21, 2010 @ 8:05 pm

    I wouldn’t be surprised. Basil Davidson pretty much covers all bases when it comes to African History. I’ll blog on some of his works soon.

  5. By Lyn, January 22, 2010 @ 2:46 pm

    Thanks for sharing this epic. We’ve only covered the Sunjata in school, so this helps expand that lit boundary for me, lol. Great new site as well, Milton. Congrats.

  6. By Milton, January 22, 2010 @ 10:28 pm

    No problem, Lyn, and thank you. I got a lot more to share. I got plans for Sunjata. :-)

  7. By Melvin Carter, May 6, 2010 @ 3:57 pm

    Harold Courlander’s book has this tale and the story of the Bida dragon in his collection.

  8. By Milton, May 8, 2010 @ 8:37 am

    The Courlander verison is actually a copy of this one. The Bida Dragon is a good story, too.

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