▁of ▁later ▁Mand é ▁states ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁B am ana ▁and ▁Wass oul ou ▁emp ires . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁The ▁word ▁so fa ▁transl ates ▁into ▁English ▁as ▁" father ▁of ▁the ▁horse " ▁(" so " ▁means ▁horse , ▁and ▁" fa " ▁means ▁" father ") ▁or ▁" guard ian ▁of ▁the ▁horse ". ▁This ▁term ▁st ems ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁function ▁of ▁the ▁so fa ▁as ▁a ▁care t aker ▁for ▁the ▁horse ▁or ▁horses ▁of ▁Mand ink a ▁caval ry ▁command ers ▁called ▁" far ari ". ▁ ▁Sof a ▁in ▁the ▁Mand ink a ▁emp ire ▁of ▁M ali ▁Sof as ▁make ▁their ▁first ▁appearance ▁in ▁or al ▁and ▁written ▁records ▁during ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁M ali ▁Empire . ▁ ▁Sof as ▁were ▁rec ru ited ▁from ▁" jon ow " ▁( s la ves ) ▁captured ▁in ▁battle ▁or ▁bought ▁from ▁af ar . ▁They ▁could ▁be ▁dep ended ▁on ▁in ▁most ▁instances ▁for ▁ob ed ience , ▁since ▁their ▁liv elihood ▁dep ended ▁entirely ▁on ▁their ▁master . ▁The ▁institution ▁of ▁sla very ▁in ▁the ▁M ali ▁Empire ▁heavily ▁reward ed ▁loyal ty , ▁and ▁j on ow ▁could ▁rise ▁to ▁civil ▁or ▁military ▁positions ▁of ▁prom in ence . ▁ ▁Jon ow ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁master ' s ▁cl an , ▁and ▁were ▁often ▁fre ed ▁after ▁a ▁certain ▁number ▁of ▁years . ▁▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁cl an , ▁j on ow ▁were ▁expected ▁to ▁accomp any ▁their