Sundiata Keita

Malini Saba is known for being one of the worlds most successful investors and one of its most generous philanthropists. In a recent article appearing on the Huffinton Post, Saba was profiled for her success in the business world but also her work with charitable organizations all over the world. The article focused primarily on her work as Chairman of Saban, a major international conglomerate which has holdings in severla countries including the United States, China, Autralia and India.…

Mansa Musa was the King of Kings in Mali, and was described by the North African scholar Al-Omari as the most powerful, richest, most fortunate, most feared by his enemies, and was the most-able to do good for those around him. Under his rule, he increased Mali to twice the size of Ghana, developed a strong effective government bringing stability and peace to the region. He had exemplary leadership, and with his pilgrimage, put Mali on world maps. The Mali Empire was one of the richest and most…

Kingdom of Ghana, which fell to the Kingdom of Mali, and the Kingdom of Songhai, surpassing Mali. Through much strife and success, Sundiata Keita was the founder of the Mali empire. You would imagine, someone who founded an empire would be a very strong and healthy person. That was Sundiata Keita for you, but he wasn’t always like that. Born around 1217 BC, Sundiata was a sickly boy who was the son of the ruler of the small kingdom of Kangaba. He was also one out of 12 sons of this ruler, all…

Keita: Heritage of the Griot is a historical fiction that takes place in the geographical location of Africa. The film focuses on a storyteller who aims to deliver ancestral heritage to Mabo Keita (the young boy). The storyteller, whose name is Djeliba captures Mabo’s attention by discussing the origins of his name and significance of the country's history (Kouyaté). The conflicts in this film were twofold; the rejection of non-western history by Africans and Mande King’s first wife whom has a…

good morals or strong leadership in society. An important theme is determination. Characters in African literature and tradition show this theme when facing a difficult task. “Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali” is a traditional legendary epic by an unknown author. It is about the 13th-century West African leader Sundiata Keita. “The Quarry” is a short story by Alan Paton. It is about Johnny Day, a 12-year-old boy, who climbed the face of an abandoned quarry in a coastal city in South Africa. Both…

Sundiata was a very powerful book. It expresses the story of a Sundiata Keita and his journeys to becoming a hero and founder of the Mali Empire. The story has been told orally for centuries and continues to be passed along in the African American culture. Through this story we are able to see to role of religious beliefs in the African culture. These beliefs include Islamic and indigenous beliefs which have been around for centuries. The Islamic beliefs are portrayed through Sundiata and his…

Kaylen Simmons Dr. Pierre ADW Optional Writers’ Circle Opportunity I watched the film Keita this past weekend. The story starts off with a little boy named Mabo Keïta, in his home in Burkina Faso. He is reading a book when a strange man arrives. The man tells young Keita that he is a griot and it is his duty to teach Mabo about his family's history. Mabo is very interested in the griot and the griot's arrival creates problems in the Mabo’s home and with his teacher because he is so into the…

Study Essay Three Ghana was the first great African empire of the western Sudan. Ghana was surrounded by Soninke people who are believed to have founded Ghana in 300 helping it flourish until 1200. The name Ghana derived from “warrior King” and “King of gold”. Ghana gained a significant amount of wealth during their control of the Gold trade in West Africa. Ghana became so wealthy from the salt and gold trade from their access to the trade routes that went through their land. Ghana’s position…

Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, by D.T. Niane, begins with the griot, Djeli Mamadou Kouyaté, who introduces himself as a “master in the art of eloquence”. He talks how his ancestors have always served the Keita princes of Mali. He goes in depth about their duties as hiding secrets, honoring the names of great kings. He says he can remember the names of all kings who ruled Mali, how the tribes divided, and the reason they are named the way they are. He knows this because he learned from his father…

of Mali, which was native to a shamanistic religion, converted to Islam. It was brought by Arab traders and Muslim scholars, who stumbled upon Mali during their travels. All of the rulers of Mali followed the Islamic beliefs, with the exception of Sundiata, who practiced both. Several mosques were built in Mali, such as the Sankore Mosque, and the Great Mosque of Djenne. These mosques were a place where people were taught religion, astronomy, logic, and history. “The university was known and…