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{{Short description|Governing body of the Mali Empire}}
{{distinguish|text=the homonymous village in [[Niger State]], Nigeria}}
{{Traditional African religion}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2010}}
{{Expand Portuguese|1=Mandês#Sundiata Queita}}

The '''Gbara''' ({{IPA|bm|ɡ͡baɽa|Old [[Malinke language|Malinke]] pronunciation:}}; now spelled and pronounced as ''Bara'' or ''Gara'' in those [[Manding languages]] lacking {{IPAslink|ɡ͡b}}) or '''Great Assembly''' was the [[deliberative body]] of the [[Mali Empire]], which ruled much of West Africa during the Middle Ages.  It was first formed in 1235 on the orders of [[Sundiata Keita|Sundiata]] in the [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]] constitution known as the [[Kouroukan Fouga]].

==Function==
The Gbara was made up of 32 members from around 29 mostly Mandinka clans.<ref>[http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/56/56/38874847.pdf] p.2</ref> Members of these clans had aided Sundiata in his overthrow of [[Soumaoro Kante]] and were given a voice in the government of a new Manden federation, the Manden Kurufa.  The descendants of these clans occupied posts in the Gbara, and checked the power of the federal emperor, the Mansa. It was presided over by a belen-tigui (or master of ceremonies) who recognized anyone who wanted to speak, including the Mansa.

The first Gbara decreed that the Emperor comes from the line of Sundiata, while the Princess are mandated to take a wife from the Conde clan.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|date=2010 |first=Djibril Tamsir |last=NIANE |location=Brasília |page=60 |publisher=UNESCO |title=O Mali e a segunda expansão manden. In: NIANE, Djibril Tamsir (Org.). História geral da África 4: África do século XII ao XVI}}<!-- auto-translated from Portuguese by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

==Clans==
The Gbara was divided into four voting blocs divided among military, political, religious and economic lines.  The ''Djon-Tan-Nor-Woro'' (sometimes cited as the ''Ton-Ta-Jon''), meaning carriers of quivers, were the military wing of the Gbara, responsible for leading the army and sometimes governing provinces (''tinkurus'') or counties (''kafos''). The purely political bloc of the Gbara was the clans of Maghan (literally 'Princely Clans'). This group included the imperial clans and related clans that could also ascend to the throne.  The constitution of the empire also included religious (that is [[traditional African religion]]<ref name="Fage, p. 390">[[John D. Fage|Fage, J. D]], ''The Cambridge History of Africa: From c. 1050 to c. 1600'' (eds J. D. Fage, Roland Anthony Oliver), p. 390, [[Cambridge University Press]], 1977, {{ISBN|0-521-20981-1}}.</ref><ref name="Bad, p. 100-2">Badru, Pade, ''The Spread of Islam in West Africa: colonization, globalization, and the emergence of fundamentalism'', pp. 100-102, Edwin Mellen Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-7734-5535-3}}.</ref><ref name="Collins, Robert O p 84">Collins, Robert O., &  James McDonald, ''A History of Sub-Saharan Africa'', p. 84, [[Cambridge University Press]], 2007, {{ISBN|0-521-86746-0}}.</ref>) clans  serving as marabouts (or Islamic{{dubious|date=March 2020}} guides to the nobility). This group also functioned as diviners able to interpret omens and other happenings.  Lastly, there were the clans of ''Nyamakala'' ('wielders of Nyama').  ''Nyama'' is the power or energy that flows within and between everything, and its skilled manipulation is necessary to perform certain functions, especially smithing or serving as a chronicler/bard/griot (jeli / djeli).

The 16 ''Djon-Tan-Nor-Woro'' ('Carriers of Quivers') clans responsible for defense, and the descendants of Sundiata Keita's generals and best soldiers, are:
* [[Dansouba]]
* [[Diaby]] (Jab(b)y)
* [[Diakité]] ([[Jakite]])
* [[Diallo]] ([[Jallow]])
* [[Diawara (disambiguation)|Diawara]] ([[Jawara]])
* [[Fofana (disambiguation)|Fofana]]
* [[Kamara (disambiguation)|Kamara]] ([[Camara (disambiguation)|Camara]])
* [[Kamissoko]]
* [[Koita (surname)|Koita]]
* [[Kondé]] (the clan of the Sankar-Zouma)
* [[Koroma]]
* [[Magassouba]]
* [[Sako (disambiguation)|Sako]]
* [[Sangaré]] (Sankareh)
* [[Sidibé]]
* [[Traoré]] ([[Trawore]]/[[Trawally]])

The 4 Maghan (Princely) clans, responsible for leadership, are:
*Danhou/Douno/Dan/[[Somono]]/Soumano/[[Mano people|Mano]] (the clan of the Dyi-Tigi or "master of waters", responsible for river travel and fishing)
* [[Keita Dynasty|Keita]] (the clan of the mansas)
* [[Konaté]]
* [[Koulibaly]] ([[Coulibaly]]/[[Krubally]]/[[Kora (disambiguation)|Kora]])

The 5 ''Mori-Kanda-Lolou'' ('Guardians of the Faith'), clans responsible for [[traditional African religion]]<ref name="Fage, p. 390"/><ref name="Bad, p. 100-2"/><ref name="Collins, Robert O p 84"/> teaching and advice, are:
* [[Bérété]]
* [[Cisse (disambiguation)|Cissé]] ([[Ceesay]]/[[Sesay]])
* [[Diané]] ([[Janneh]])
* [[Koma (disambiguation)|Koma]]
* [[Sylla]] ([[Sillah]])

The 7 ''Nyamakala'' ('Wielders of Nyama, the power of life/creative force), clans responsible for products, are:
* [[Diabate]] (Jeliw / Djeliw; chroniclers and praise singers)
* [[Kanté]] (Numun-Fin; [[blacksmith]]s, whose wives are often [[Pottery|potters]])
* [[Kamara (disambiguation)|Kamara]] (Numun-Siaki; these men work precious metals into jewellery)
* [[Kamara (disambiguation)|Kamara]] (Finè; mediators of disputes and announcers; talkers without music)
* [[Koroma]] (Noumoun-Kule; these men work wood to make art)
* [[Kouyate family|Kouyaté]] (Jeliw / Djeliw of the Mansa and Belen-Tigui of the Gbara)
* [[Sylla]] (''Garanke'' = 'leatherworkers' or makers of shoes, harnesses, and cushions)

==See also==
*[[Mali Empire]]
*[[Kouroukan Fouga]]
*[[Majlis]]
*[[Shura]]
*[[Majlis ash-Shura]]
*[[Jirga]]
*[[Kurultai]]
*[[Divan]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mali Empire]]
[[Category:Historical legislatures]]