Sundiata: An epic of the Old Mali is an epic that narrates the story of Sundiata Keita who is the founder of the Mali Empire. The story also reveals the culture of the Mandingo people and other tribes in Africa. The story is written by Djibril Tamsir Niane who is a graduated from the University of Bordeaux . He wrote the story with the intention of introducing African oral traditions to the outside world especially the Western world. The epic portrays oral tradition as a tool that is used by the Mandingo tribe to preserve its history and culture, inform the members of the society and also communicate its traditions to the outside world.
Djeli Mamoudou introduces himself as the griot and emphasis on the role of griot’s in the Mali empire as preservers of history and mediators during tribal rivalry. He gives the historical background of Sundiata by narrating about his family lineage from Lahilatoul Kalabi to his father, Meghan Kan Fatta and their achievements that made them great rulers (Niane, 1965). A hunter prophesies the birth of Sundiata from Sangaran who tells Meghan Kan Fatta that his successor will be born if he marries an ugly woman who will be accompanied by two hunters. The prophecy is fulfilled when the King marries Sogolon Konduuto who gives birth to Sundiata. Sundiata is subjected to ridicule during childhood because he cannot work and he is also deformed. However, his heroism emerges when he manages to walk, lift a heavy iron bar and uproot a baobab tree. His fame attracts malice from Sassouma, and he is forced to exile with his mother, sister, and step-brother (Niane, 1965). His encounter with the outside world enables him to acquire more knowledge especially the art of war from Moussa Tounkara.
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While in exile, Soumaoro Kante who is the king of Sosso manages to conquer the Mali Empire and the surrounding kingdoms. The soothsayers at Mali Empire send a search team to locate Sundiata so that he can help his people. They can locate him at Mema and convinces him to return home after burring his mother (Niane, 1965). The confrontation between Suandata and Soumaoro begins at Tabon and Negueboria where he manages to defeat his rival in both battles. He expands his army by joining forces with other rebellious kings and recruiting volunteers from the Mali Empire and nearby villages. Nana Triban and Balla Fasc reveal the sorcery secrets of that reveal the sorcery secrets of Soumaoro, and he can device a magical weapon that he uses to defeat the sorcery powers of Soumaoro at Krina with the information he got from Nana and Balla (Niane, 1965). He also conquers other lands such as Kita, Bombougou, Diaghan, and Fouta that were loyal to Soumaoro. After a victory, Sundiata returns the respective kingdoms to their rulers and establishes the law that will govern customs such as intermarriage. He returns to rule the Mali Empire, and the kingdom prospers under his rule. The griot ends the story by praising Sundiata arguing that he surpasses all the other kings that ruled before and after his reign.
Sundiata: An epic of the Old Mali is a transcription of an oral song from the Mandingo people that are told by Djeli Mamoudou. He says that these songs are common in the Mali Empire (Niane, 1965). By analyzing the story, it is evident that these songs have more functions in this tribe than just entertainment. First, the oral songs are informative. They educate the audience by informing them about their history. For instance, Djeli Mamoudou gives an account of how Sundiata come to be from the time of his great-grandfather to his father. This is an attempt by the griot to inform the people about their history since some of them are not familiar with it. Djeli Mamoudou recognizes that people tend to forget their past. However, the Mandingo tribe wanted its members to remember their history and traditions. Therefore, it created the position of griots that were tasked with the role of ‘refreshing the memories’ of the people. Second, Djeli Mamoudou takes advantage of the oral song to inculcate the right values in his people. For instance, he praises the brevity and kindness of Sundiata. The aim is to teach the history of Sundiata and also encourage the audience to emulate these characteristics because they are admirable and useful to society. Lastly, the song communicates to the outside world about the culture and traditions of the Mandingo people.
The culture can be observed from a positive and also a negative perspective. Generally, the Mandingo culture shows a tribe that is vibrant due to its beliefs, ceremonies, social organization and political system. However, there is a dark side that emerges by evaluating the story. For instance, women are generally mistreated in this community. The oppression of women is evident in different occasions (Niane, 1965). First, women are not involved in any significant positions in the community such as ruling. They are simply mothers and wives. Men, on the other hand, are rulers, warriors, and holders of all the critical positions. Women have also used trophies after winning a battle. For instance, Sogolon is given away to the two hunters after they killed a buffalo. Their husbands also abuse women. For example, Sogolon is raped by the king, and she ends up pregnant with Sundiata. This oppression against women portrays a negative side of the Mandingo culture despite its numerous positive attributes. There is also the portrayal of magic and supernatural spirits throughout the story. In some instances, it serves a definite purpose such as defeating the evil king. However, there are numerous examples when it is used to undermine the well-being of the community. For instance, Soumaoro uses his magical power to perpetrate violation against his people and those from the surrounding community. Everyone is powerless against him until Sundiata manages to figure out his secret and defeat him.
In conclusion, the Sundiata: An epic of the Old Mali is a story that informs the reader about the Sundiata who was a great hero among the Mandingo people. He is faced with numerous challenges from his childhood to adulthood. However, the storms do not prevent him from attaining his destiny. He accumulates extensive knowledge and brevity in the midst of his challenges and later uses these skills to conquer his rival. The story also gives the reader more insight into the Mandingo people. The members of this tribe were aware that man is prone to forgetting his past. To prevent this, they devised oral songs that will remind the people about their history. To enact it, they created the post of griots to pass down oral traditions to other members of the community. The oral songs portray both a positive side and a negative side of the Mandingo people. The book is likely to capture the attention of an individual who is curious to learn about the traditional culture of the African people. The book is rich in African history because it gives a thorough account of the Mandingo people and also sheds insight on other African tribes in Western Africa.
Reference
Niane, D. T. (1965). Sundiata: An epic of the Old Mali. (G.D. Pickett, Trans.). Edinburgh: Person Education Limited.
