Sundiata is a book composed of the oral stories by a griot and transcribed into the english language. It records the tellings of a great Malian king, Sundiata, and his trials through life. Sundiata’s existence was prophesied to his father Maghan Kon Fatta. Sundiata’s mother was ugly and had a hump, denoting the complete opposite of what is expected of a bride of a king. Sundiata was said to be the lion king borne of the buffalo woman. Sundiata did not walk for many years, and as a result, his mother received constant ridicule and torture from one of her fellow co wives. In the end, Sundiata is banished from the kingdom and seeks refuge in other nations before he finally fulfills his destiny and takes back over his kingdom from a terrible sorcerer
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Within this story is also the lesson that should be learned about how a person should be and of what esteem they should have. In this book, the people of the civilization made fun of Sundiata and his mother. They made fun of his mother because she was ugly and had a large hump on her back. They felt that Sundiata was lesser because it was perceived as though he could not walk. Sundiata would prove them wrong when he said“Very well then, I am going to walk today,’ said Mari Djata ‘Go and tell my father’s smiths to make me the heaviest possible iron rod. Mother, do you want just the leaves of the baobab or would you rather I brought you the whole tree?” In reality Sundiata chose not to walk. When he ultimately decided it was time he also pulled a large and beloved tree for his nation from the ground and brought it to his mother.This taught the people of Mali that you should never judge a person based upon their looks or current situation. When Sundiata’s father died the main wife decided that her son should be the king, and after this Sundiata and his family were sent into exile. As Sundiata grew and became stronger he became someone who should be considered with respect. He was so strong that “Djata had now seen eighteen winters and at that time he was a tall young man with a fat neck and a powerful chest. Nobody else could bend his bow.” Making him far stronger
Within this story is also the lesson that should be learned about how a person should be and of what esteem they should have. In this book, the people of the civilization made fun of Sundiata and his mother. They made fun of his mother because she was ugly and had a large hump on her back. They felt that Sundiata was lesser because it was perceived as though he could not walk. Sundiata would prove them wrong when he said“Very well then, I am going to walk today,’ said Mari Djata ‘Go and tell my father’s smiths to make me the heaviest possible iron rod. Mother, do you want just the leaves of the baobab or would you rather I brought you the whole tree?” In reality Sundiata chose not to walk. When he ultimately decided it was time he also pulled a large and beloved tree for his nation from the ground and brought it to his mother.This taught the people of Mali that you should never judge a person based upon their looks or current situation. When Sundiata’s father died the main wife decided that her son should be the king, and after this Sundiata and his family were sent into exile. As Sundiata grew and became stronger he became someone who should be considered with respect. He was so strong that “Djata had now seen eighteen winters and at that time he was a tall young man with a fat neck and a powerful chest. Nobody else could bend his bow.” Making him far stronger