Proclaimed In Kouroukan Fouga In 1236 A.D
Published In Academia By : Chizoro Okeke
Established Political Power Succession
Article 12: The succession being patrilinear, never relinquish power to a son when one of his father’s brothers is still alive. Never relinquish power to a minor just because he has goods.
Article 13: Never offend the Nyaras (the talented).
Women’s Rights And Protections
Article 14: Never offend women, our mothers.
Article 15: Never beat a married woman, before her husband has tried to correct the problem.
Article 16: Women, apart from their everyday occupations, should be associated with all
our managements.
Social Relations
Article 17: Lies that have lived for 40 years should be considered like truths.
Article 18: We should respect the law of primogeniture.
Article 19: Any man has two parents-in-law: We have to hold them in respect and consideration.
Article 20: Do not ill treat the slaves. We are the master of the slave, but not the bag he carries.
Article 21: Do not follow up with your constant attentions the wives of the chief, of the
neighbor, of the marabout, of the priest, of the friend and of the partner.
Article 22: Vanity is the sign of weakness and humility the sign of greatness.
Article 23: Never betray one another. Respect your word of honor.
Article 24: In Manden, do not maltreat the foreigners.
Article 25: The ambassador does not risk anything in Manden.
Article 26: The bull confided to your care should not lead the cattle-pen.
Article 27: A girl can be given in marriage as soon as she is pubescent without age determination.
Article 28: A young man can marry at age 20.
Article 29: The dowry is fixed at 3 cows: one for the girl, two for the father and mother.
Article 30: In Mande, divorce is tolerated for one of the following reasons: the impotence of the husband, the madness of one of the spouses, the husband’s incapability of assuming the obligations due to the marriage. The divorce should occur out of the village. (The French version published in 1998 does not include this article, but splits
article 34 into two, numbering the intervening articles differently).
Article 31: We should help those who are in need.
Property Rights
Article 32: There are five ways to acquire property: buying, donation, exchange, work and inheriting. Any other form without convincing testimony is doubtful.
Article 33: Any object found without a known owner becomes common property only after four years.
Article 34: The fourth heifer born is the property of the guardian of the heifer. One egg out of four is the property of the guardian of the laying hen.
Article 35: One bovine should be exchanged for four sheep or four goats.
Article 36: To satisfy one’s hunger is not robbery if you don’t take away anything in your bag or your pocket.
Preservation of Nature (Environmentalism)
Article 37: Fakombè is nominated chief of hunters.
Article 38: Before setting fire to the bush, don’t look down at the ground, raise your head
in the direction of the top of the trees to see whether they bear fruits or flowers.
Article 39: Domestic animals should be tied during cultivation and freed after the
harvest. The dog, the cat, the duck and the poultry are not bound by the measure.
Final Disposals
Article 40: Respect kinship, marriage and the neighborhood.
Article 41: You can kill the enemy, but not humiliate him.
Article 42: In big assemblies, be satisfied with your lawful representatives.
Article 43: Balla Fassèkè Kouyaté is nominated chief of ceremonies and main mediator in Manden. He is allowed to joke with all groups, in priority with the royal family.
Article 44: All those who will transgress these rules will be punished. Everyone is bound to make effective their implementation.
