Mandinka people

Another quote was, “The art of eloquence has no secrets for us” (page 1). To fully comprehend this sentence, I had to seek out the definition of eloquence. Eloquence is “fluent or persuasive speaking or writing.” I believe this must do with mastering trade because to master trade you need to be able to communicate properly and fluently to acquire what is needed. As trade was and is a very important part not only in the epic, but in the early days as well. In the other epic poem that we are reading, Sinuhe, it also deals with heroism. A quote to present this characteristic is, “I became great thereby, I grew large in my riches, I became abundant in my flocks” (page 6). This quote exhibits that Sinuhe earned his fortune and grew known to the people around him. He did this by overcoming a challenge and showing not only a physical strength, but a mental and emotional one as well that he did not have…

are repeated it makes it easier for our brains to remember it! (Josefine, Satzke). For thousands of years people have been using songs as a means of sharing stories and spreading their history. This can date all the way back to the Mali empire in the 1300’s. “Griots and Storytellers” (Duckers). The singers of the Mali empire were known as Griots, and they functioned in West African societies as: storyteller’s, musicians, and historians. Griots would usually work for the richer class members…

Certification: This is to certify that the following essay is my own work and that I have not received any unauthorized assistance with it. Signed Matthew Smith 9/14/15 The Influence of Beliefs on the Epic of Sundjata The epic of Sundjata is an African oral legend that has been greatly influenced by traditional beliefs of magic and spiritualism. King Maghan, the king of Mali, was depicted as a strong believer in prophecies and talking with spirits. A great prophecy was told to King Maghan…

The story Sundiata An Epic of Old Mali by D.T. Niane tells the story of Mari (Sogolon) Djata,also known as Sundiata. Around 1,000 years ago a warrior named Sumanguru took control of thearea around Mali in West Africa and oppressed its people. Sundiata arose to become a hero tounite the people and defeat Sumanguru, ushering a period of peace. His achievements werecelebrated for centuries by West African historians known as griots. Mamadou Kouyatecontinued this tradition, the scholar D.T. Niane…

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…

lot of lands and colonies in Africa which they acquired during the penetration of Africa to colonize the continent. The British used both direct and indirect policy to rule their colonies for instance in Zimbabwe they ruled directly due to the fact that there was a larger population of whites in Zimbabwe and the Africans were lesser. In other countries the British applied the indirect policy like the case of Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. The French strictly applied the policy of assimilation where…

In Yona Wallach’s poem “Let Them Come” found on page sixty-six from the Collected Poems (1976), Wallach entices her readers with a poem about a woman who is having her last moments but wants her mourners to come and serve her. “Let them come and bring me foods,” this first line implies that she wants someone to serve her the last meal she will eat. The diction used and phrasing techniques lead the reader to believe that she is of importance. Specifically “let them come” as in she was okaying…

Why Positive Thinking Did Not Work for Me Many people believe positive thinking will lead a person to a perfect life; however, it is not completely true as it has its pros and cons. The reason why is because people request for things that they really want without really putting much effort into it and expect everything to fall into place. Today, society has gotten to the point where they make demands to God, and keep waiting to attain the stuff they asked or prayed for. For example, last year…

Sports can have a positive effect on society. They are one of the things that have made me the person I am today. Sports, mostly football and basketball, have shown me how to be a leader, how to stay active, how to persevere no matter how down you are , how it can help people in the community, and the ability to talk to people about the sports I love. Sports have no doubt been an influence for a long time, from ancient times to now. The leadership that comes with sports is a big deal in my…

Good physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health can contribute to feeling great and having a wonderful outlook on life. People routinely take these aspects of health for granted. For example social health is important, having a group of friends to talk with and support each other makes for a strong foundation. Since moving out here in 2013 and not knowing a lot of people my wife and I have found it increasingly difficult to engage in a healthy social life, plus with having a…