Chapter Summary: The Epic Of Old Mali

An Epic of Old Mali This book talks about the old king Sundiata, “the father of the bright country, of the savanna land.” This epic has come from the 13th century! It speaks of a lot during this time but the main focus is the ancient king of Mali, Sogolon Djata, known as Sundiata. Sundiata created the Mali Empire. It starts off telling the story of Sundiata’s father, Maghan Kon Fatta, the king of the city Niani. He was told, by a hunter, that he will produce a powerful ruler by marrying an ugly woman. Later, two hunters bring a lady called Sogolon they received from saving a kingdom from a monstrous buffalo. She was the ugliest servant they had. So Maghan took her and removed the spirit within her and conceived Sundiata. Sundiata faces
two obstacles in childhood: one the king’s first wife spreading rumors of him and Sogolon, just to raise her own son’s level of power; second he was crippled and did not walk till age seven. Despite him being crippled his father still sees great wisdom in him and gifts him “griot Balla Fasseke, the son of his own griot.” Soon after the king pasts away and his oldest son recovers the thrown. One day Sundiata uses a rod and stands up on two legs and his strength becomes incredible. The queen mother was frightened that her own son will soon lose his control as king so she removes Sundiata, his mother, and all immediate family.
For several years they travel from town to town until they come upon the king of Mema, Moussa Tounkara. This king helped raise Sundiata and grooms him to be his heir. He teaches him a lot of ways of war and different strategies. Sundiata also hears stories of the evil sorcerer, King Soumaoro Kante, who is conquering cities of Mali through his own cruelty. Shortly after learning of the evil sorcerer king Niani falls to him people are sent to Ghana in search of Sundiata to ask him to claim his thrown as ruler. So he claims his thrown and even though this upsets Moussa Tounkara, he supports him completely and gives him first of his subservient armies. Sundiata then travels to the cities that he had visited after he was kicked out, slowly but surely he was building up his army. Finally the day had come when he and his armies had met Soumaoro and the great battle started. Although Sundiata is winning the battle, he cannot harm Soumaoro because he has magical protections. Sundiata then turns to magic to help and creates a magical arrow that just nicks the sorcerer and he loses all his magical powers. Soumaoro then retreats and
escapes. Sundiata decides to pursue the sorcerer accompanied with the sorcerer’s nephew that betrayed him, Fakoli. After several days they finally find him, trap him in a cave, and win this battle. After this victory Sundiata defeated all the kings who stayed loyal to the sorcerer. He then returns to his original home and finds Mali, to which he decided to split up for all the rulers who promised to serve him. The Mali is known now as one of the greatest empires in all of history. It was one of the three great medieval West African empires.
This story amazed me in so many ways. What amazes me the most and caught my attention the most is when he grabbed rod and stood up after being crippled and with imaginable strength. Even though the queen mother exiled him and his family from his home, he still persevered, it was his destiny to protect and become the king of Mali. “With great strength comes great responsibility,” this is a quote I believe he pretty much lived by when he got his strength. Another thing that amazed me is that even after being exiled he still accepted being ruler when they came and found him with no question. Sundiata had no flaws, he was basically known as perfect, and this story is my example. "I salute you all, sons of Mali, and I salute you, Kamandjan. I have come back, and as long as I breathe, Mali will never be in thrall – rather death than slavery. We will live free because our ancestors lived free." This just shows that Sundiata had to be the best king they ever had, just because he kept his word.
This book overall was a good book. Sundiata, the perfect ruler, lived a hard life in the beginning of it, even though he was destined for greatness. There were many of different themes just to describe how and why Sundiata was a great leader. Heroic, bravery, loyalty, and presence is what makes a great leader and Sundiata, just like the hunter said, was a great leader.