Sundiata Mali Research Paper

Ancient Africa Mali History: The legend of Sundiata Mali is located a few degrees north of the equator and gets a lot of sunlight. It?s a very dry region and is overly hot year round. The Beledugu Plateau is at the northern part of the region which farms are scattered though out, plus nomadic groups of people which are located here because it gets the most rain fall out of the whole area which keeps them competing for water because there is usually a 10 month dry spell without water. Also in this region, the Sahara Desert was a very large area that was again very dry but hosted a commodity for trade which is Salt. Salt was traded for gold because the people of the Sahara had such a plentiful amount of it they could trade straight up for gold
One day on his travels he came upon a market in the kingdom of Mema, which someone was selling Baobob leaves but there are not any leaves in Mema they must have come from Mali. While at the market, Sundiata caught word that Soumaro had conquered Mali and sent Dankaran into exile. Balla and his half-sister were captives of him also, Sundiata got an army together to go reclaim Mali. On the night before his voyage back to Mali Sogolon died, Sundiata then returned to Mali. Balla was in the chambers of Soumaoro which he saw all of the king?s heads that he had conquered and poisonous snakes. He was caught by Soumaoro and in there and thinking quick Balla did a song for him and this made him rage less and made Bella his Griot. Sundiata was making his way back to Mali and on his way he gathered forces and finally met Soumaoro on the battlefield Sundiata?s army had a lot more tactical fighting than Soumaro?s army, but through Soumaro?s magic he fled the scene. Knowing that he needed more power to beat his magic Sundiata ?summoned soothsayers to council him on harnessing supernatural powers?17, by sacrificing one hundred oxen. After Sundiata was reunited with Balla and his half-sister because they escaped from the evil sorcerer king, they told him of the secret of Soumaoro?s magic. Sundiata was told that the cock was the sacred animal of Soumaoro and it harnesses all of his power. Sundiata then manufactured a wooded arrow with a cock?s spur as its tip. Finally the great battle between the two came at Kirina. The night before the battle the too had pre-war rituals. The two sent messages to each other, Soumaoro?s read, ?I am the wild yam of the rocks ,nothing will make me leave Mali?18. Sundiata replied, ?I have in my camp seven master smiths who will shatter the rocks. Then, yam, I will eat you?19.