Summary: Complex Society In The Malian Empire

Complex Society in the Malian Empire

Examples of complex society can be described and referenced in many ways, shapes or forms. However, when defining a certain society as “complex,” one must follow two loose guidelines that should trace the vague foundations of any thriving civilization. Therefore, it is generally agreed upon that the civilization in question must have a large, easily identifiable population (the larger, the more complex), and that it must have a clear division of labor. Every society studied that can be considered “complex”, can vary both in population and it’s division of labor. When looking at a civilization such as the Malian Empire, It is not a question of whether the society was complex or not, that much is known;
but instead through specific examples, one must ascertain how complex they were. Specific features from different complex civilizations throughout history vary greatly, some possessing models that have since separated the great empires from the legendary ones. Examples of this range from the complex political rhetoric found in ancient Greece, to intricate diverse philosophical teachings in Chinese civilization. While judging a society, certain aspects of the culture must be looked at without prejudice, as not all societies are identical. In D.T. Niane’s translation of “Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali”, society in 13th century West Africa is observed through the story of one of Africa’s greatest conquerors, Sundiata Keita. It is through this view that the reader is able to see specific societal qualities that lend itself to the complexity of the culture and civilization present at that time and place. Through examples revealed in Niane’s translation; one can be certain that a complex thriving society was present at that time and place, with illustrations of complex cities, extensive trade systems, organized military, as well as a unified religious theology provided as evidence of it’s complexity.
The author, D.T. Niane portrays a detailed descriptiveness of the various cities visited by the conqueror in his book, illustrating the sophistication and advancement the many cultures in that region demonstrated at that time. The very fact that the populations of these societies don’t solely reside in crude scattered huts (as is popularized in modern culture in reference to Africa), shows that civilization at this time was not limited, but rather urbanized and established. Many of the cities visited by Sundiata, showed great advancement in urban planning, fortifications, and construction of mosques.

As described above, there was an abundance of complex, highly advanced cities, which housed a variety of citizens who contributed to the continuing functionality of the civilization and its population. These jobs demonstrated a clear division of labor, as referenced in the guidelines for a model complex society. The division of labor in the upper Niger, brought about metalworking factions, agricultural farmers, fisherman, shaman, pastoralists, and miners.

With a good division of labor, surplus in each niche can be generated, and economic prosperity is created. An abundance of plants, herbs, and medicine, as well as livestock, gold, and iron, paves the way to complex trade routes and economic systems. Caravan trade plays a major role in Sundiata’s early life, and is essential for the prosperity of the many cities and cultures of the region. There are many examples throughout Niane’s translation, demonstrating the reliability and care the caravan traders brought. Often times, the exiled prince and his siblings travelled with the traders of the land. While travelling, he often sought their extensive knowledge of the various regions and their cultures. Due to constant traveling, the traders held extensive knowledge in regards to the political events taking place throughout the region, so naturally they were a vital source of information for the young Sundiata (Niane 32). So as one can see, extensive trade does more than just bring a society economic prosperity, it also serves as a catalyst for knowledge and extensive communication between far away lands.

These caravan trade routes brought the people of West Africa more than just commodities and culture.
Due to the constant and encouraged trade with the Arabian Peninsula through established routes in the Sahara desert, Islam was slowly adopted in the region where Sundiata reigned (although it wasn’t as central or significant as later generations would make it out to be) (Robinson 43). With the influence of Islam, rituals, architecture, art and laws became commonplace and unified the people of West Africa into an even more complex society with mutual ideals. The construction of mosques shows the developed and visual expression of complex culture and uniqueness in the style and development (mud and wooden struts) exclusive to the Malian Empire and surrounding regions. (Robinson 45) In addition to architecture, laws followed in accordance to the holy Quran are noted with praise in a report from Ibn Battuta dated 1352, translated by Robert
Collins:
“The small number of acts of injustice that take place there [in Mali], for of all people, the Negroes abhor it [injustice] the most. Their Sultan [Mansa] never pardons anyone guilty of injustice (14).”
In addition to the strict legal system portrayed in the obviously dated western description of the culture, another observation is made. The quote above states in the very beginning that there are very little acts of injustice committed in the society. Not only are the people of Mali god fearing, but also morally compassed and obligated to follow the will of the Quran.

An organized, disciplined military goes beyond the realm of complex society, and into that of a thriving, powerful kingdom.
Towards the end of the story, Sundiata had united the societies of the West African region into that of a vast multifaceted empire, which operated on the same level of some of humanities greatest and most famous nations. The Malian Empire was inaugurated through “The Battle of Kirina”, when the exiled prince, Sundiata Keita, unified a land of neighboring states into a massive, well-disciplined military power to overthrow the tyrant king Soumaro Kanté (Niane 59-70). This incident and the events that followed solidified the impressive power Sundiata and his kingdom commanded throughout all of Africa. While complex societies may prosper and flourish through economic success and commodities generated (whether it be gold mined, rice harvested, or animals bred), it is a strong and adept military with a shrewd leader that keeps the power balanced and the civilization in
check.

(Conclusion)
Of the numerous empires that developed and disappeared on the African continent, Mali was one of the first south of the Sahara to capture the attention of both the Islamic and European worlds. The four examples presented and discussed not only solidify the Malian empires validity as a complex society, but show it was far more highly developed than popular theory suggests. I chose these four examples because they all tie into each other in ways that compliment the growth and prosperity of Western Africa.

Works Cited;

Robinson, David. "Africanization of Islam." Muslim Societies in African History. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2004. 42-59. Print.

Collins, Robert O. "5. Ibn Battuta." Documents from the African past. Princeton, NJ: Markus Wiener, 2001. 14-16. Print.

Niane, Djibril Tamsir. Krina. Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. Harlow: Longman, 1994. 59-70. Print.