Kanta Kinese Spirt And Shield Analysis

Marcus Garvey once said“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. With out the knowledge of where we come from we tend to feel like we don't belong. It's absolutely absurd that we feel this way, when the earths diameters is approximately 7,926 miles. This shows us just how much we depend on are culture to help shape us for who we might be in the future. Whether we want to admit it or not the worst feeling is not being able to share with others were we come from. Kunta Kintes name being his spirt and shield contributed significantly to his life and culture by giving him strength, keeping his spirt up and keeping him safe. In Roots (2016 miniseries) Kunta Kinta is born the son of Omoro and Binta Kinte. When he was just a baby Omoro told him “Your name is your spirit.Your name is your shield. Allahu Akbar! Behold Kunta Kinte, the only thing that is greater than you.” Kunta grew up hearing this, so when he got older nothing in this world could dare break his spirt. For example when he was sold to the English and put on the boat with his uncle Silla . As a young man you would think he
would have just gave up on life all together, but really this was the time for his spirt to be stronger than ever before. So Kunta did everything in his power to get all his people of that disgusting slave ship. In the movie roots it was extremely important for kunta kinte to have major strength.
All of the trails and tribulation he went through in his life was enough to break any man,but not him.When he became a slave on John Waller farm his strength was tested. On the farm the slaves got identified as a different name then they arrived with. Elizabeth Waller decided to name Kunta Kinte Toby, but he refused. If he was to go by the name Toby then he would be denying where he came from and his life as a mandinka warrior in Juffure,West Africa. So Connelly the overseer of the farm whipped him saying “Your name is Toby.Now tell me your name.” until Kunta Kinte finally said Toby. Now you might be thinking he was defeated because he gave in, but it takes real strength to do something that defies who you really are
inside. Kunta Kinta was in danger at every corner,but his name as his shield kept him safe. He had faith that his name would guide him down the right path in life. Not necessarily the name its self but the meaning behind it and what it stood for. Kuntas name instilled courage and power in him, he believed as long as he remembered where he came from he could not be defeated by any means. When he trained to be a mandinka warrior he gained a life time of skills that he would use forever. Kunta was taught to use a javelin “Aah! Kunta! Up! If you cannot fight your enemy across the river, you will be killed! Taken as a slave!” That same skill was used to protect him on the slave ship.If it wasn't for him learning about his heritage and his training as a mandinka warrior death would have been upon him. In conclusion, Kunta Kinta was born with the name of his ancestors to us it to his very best ability. The name provided him with the strength of ten thousand men, the spirt of an eagle and the protection of a lock and key. It was more then a name to him it was a way of life.