The Manden Charter and Oral Tradition

In West Africa, oral tradition credits Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire, and an assembly at Kurukan Fuga in the early thirteenth century with proclaiming rules for the new state. Versions of this 'Manden Charter', passed down by griots (hereditary oral historians), include principles such as respect for human life, protection against hunger, and rejection of enslavement through raids. In 2009 UNESCO inscribed the Manden Charter on its list of intangible cultural heritage.

Historians face real challenges with this source: the texts were transmitted orally for centuries and written down only in the twentieth century, so wording may reflect later concerns. Some scholars see it as a genuine early statement of social principles; others treat it as a living tradition that has been reshaped over time. Either way, it challenges the assumption that ideas about dignity and just rule come from only one part of the world.