Heart of the Ngoni: Heroes of the African Kingdom of Segu

by Harold Courlander, Ousmane Sako

The heroic legends decribed here, re-create the events and annals of the kingdom of Segu and of the Bambara tribe that formed a series of important city-states along the Niger River during the 17th century.

Genres: Africa, History, Literature

190 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1988

Reviews

[Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heart of the Ngoni is a great collection of stories about the Kingdom of Segu. I found many similarities to other stories told in the djeli tradition, such as Gassire's Lute and Sundiata Keita. These tales confirm the honor and nobility of these kingdoms while revealing the personalities of the heroes they praise. An excellent book for anyone wanted to read more heroic tales of West Africa and more insight to the cultures of the people of the Sahel and the Joliba (Niger) River.