Summary Of Sundiata, An Epic Of Old Mali

The empire of Mali stretches back for centries and its history is vast. However, the art of storytelling has kept the land of Mali 's history alive. However, this can lead to an altered side of the story. The story of "Sundiata, An Epic Of Old Mali" written by D.T. Niane is told in the perspective of Djeli Mamoundou Kouyate. Kouyate comes from a long history of griots, or oral story tellers. The family of Koyate has mastered the art of eleoquence, and their word is well respected. So respected generations of kings have come to hear the history of their ancestors and the secrets of Mali, and became the king 's personal griots. The story of Sundiata begins with the King Maghan Kon Fatta, who known as a great king and loved by the people of

The name of the woman people predicted about was named Sogolon Kedjou. An old women predicted that she would be an extraordinary women if you manage to possess her. The King of Mali took this to heart and after many rejected advances, the king found new meaning to the old woman 's words. One night the King of Mali tried to murder Sogolon but instead she concieved the "lion child". Once known as ugly and sunjected to ridicule Sogolons social status began to change. Now a pregnant Sogolon was being showered in gifts, and became very popular to the people of Mali at the time. However this new found popularity made people within the kingdom jealous. One being King Fatta 's first wife Sassouma Berete, who used her jelousy as a weapon after Sogolon 's child was born. Eight days after birth the name of the awaited child was Magham and Mari Djata (a double name). In later years this child became known as Sundiata. In Sundiata 's early childhood it was very apparent that he was unlike other children. But not in a good way, just like Sogolon he too had physical deformities. Another major characteristic of Sundiata was that he was unable to walk, and crawled on all fours. The people of Mali began to call him the lion child because of this unusal