Do Kamissa, (11-12th century) was the apple of her father King Do Samo’s eye. As a little girl, smart and insightful, Kamissa could often be found seated next to her father, listening to praise songs from the family griot. In time, her father entrusted her with many powerful secrets of their ancestral line, including a special gift of Taana–the spirit of the Buffalo.

In her adulthood, unable to have children of her own, Kamissa adopted a hunchback little girl named Sogolon. Her love for Sogolon was noticed by all throughout the Kingdom of Do.

Years later, life faded away from Mansa Do Samo, and Kamissa’s nephew, the spoiled and prideful Mogo Jata (Human Lion) Konde was crowned. Lost in his ego, the new king, in the heat of an argument, banished Kamissa from the Kingdom of Do.

Separated from her adopted daughter Sogolon, Kamissa shook the dust of Dafolo, the capital of Do, from her feet and took shelter at the outskirts of the kingdom. In her fury and vengeance, her magic came alive. She would transform herself into the spiritual totem of her family Do-Sigui the fearless Buffalo to punish her nephew Mogo Jata Konde.

For many years, the fearful snorting of the Buffalo woman could be heard day and night throughout the region. She brought fear to traders, farmers, and fishermen who were afraid to go about their daily business; food became scarce. The people of the region named her Do Sigui, the fearless Buffalo of Do.

As the plague of hunger crept slowly into the kingdom, the stubborn young Mogo Jata Konde sent highly skilled hunters after the fearless Buffalo. But an egg was not a match for a solid rock! Some hunters returned without their weapons, others returned with bruises and broken bones, and some did not return at all. It is then that the worried king proposed a reward of gold to anyone that could produce the silver horns and the golden tail of the Fearless Buffalo. Hunters far and wide were determined to defeat the fearless Buffalo, but once they were face to face with its bulging red eyes, they quickly realized this was no ordinary beast, but a spirit of a powerful ancient practice beyond their understanding.

Finally two brothers, Wuleni and Wulenba, both donso (hunters/master diviners of the mystic sciences), ventured forth from their native land of Mande, and came across the now old buffalo woman at the Sankarani River. Because of their kindness towards her, she revealed the secret of defeating the buffalo, under the condition they rescue her daughter Sogolon from the kingdom of Do, stating “Should you go forth with my daughter, her only son once born will hold the powerful spirits of Buffalo and Lion, and bring unity and peace to the 12 kingdoms of Mali.”

Keeping their word, upon presenting the King with the tail and horn of the buffalo, the two brothers rescued Do Kamissa’s daughter Sogolon…