According to the ancient Epic of Mali, traditionally sung by griots, it was in the 12-13th century that Sumanguru Kanté conquered and ruled over much of West Africa. He governed from the Sosso Empire and was known for his ruthlessness and supernatural abilities. All feared Sumanguru and many tried but failed to defeat the King’s hold over the land.

During Sumanguru’s rule, an arranged marriage took place between him and a Mandinka princess Nana Trouba (c. 1235) of the neighboring kingdom of Mandé. Nana was the beautiful daughter of Sasuma Berete and half sister of Sundiata Kéita (prince and founder of the Mali Empire). As history would tell, without her help there would be no West Africa as it is today.

Despite her brother Sundiata preparing for battle against King Sumanguru, Nana was sent to Sosso to live with Sumanguru the king against her wishes. It was during her time in the kingdom that Nana seduced the king into revealing his greatest weakness: the only thing that could defeat him was being pierced with the spur of a white rooster. Upon gathering this information, Trouba escapes King Sumanguru Kanté and finds shelter with her brother Sundiata, where she divulges Sumanguru’s secrets and instructs her brother on how to defeat the king.

It is with this knowledge and guidance that Sundiata is able to fasten the spur of a white rooster to his arrow, pierce Sumanguru with it in the epic Battle of Kirina, and free the land from his dictatorship. Upon his defeat the Sosso king fled and disappeared into the cave of Niana Koulou.

The empire of Mali (Modern Day West Africa) grew and flourished for the next two centuries.

(Nana Trouba was known for her long single braid hairstyle, and in Mali today the ‘trouba’ hairstyle still exists.)