Epic features of Sundiata

assignment

1. EGERTON UNIVERSITY
NJORO CAMPUS

FACULTY: FEDCOS
DEPARTMENT: L.L.L.
UNIT TITLE: GENRES OF ORAL LITERATURE.
UNIT CODE: LITT 312
COURSE INSTRUCTOR: DR. DISHON KWEYA.
TASK: Discuss the epic features in Sundiata, An epic of Old Mali.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 12/02/18

NAME REG. NO PHONE NO.
Onyinkwa Bismark E13/10565/15 0708490557
Bogonko Alfayo EP13/00409/15 0717924554
Idda Mito EP13/00631/15 0727815484
Matheri Caroline EP13/00653/15 0726924428
Mary W. Kimani EP13/00755/15 0715562419

2. The world is old but the future springs from the past. Niane D.T has successfully brought into
attention what an epic is composed of in his book; Sundiata The Epic Of Old Mali. Throughout
the book, the author is able to show us on how Mali, the nation, forms its identity hence epic.
The epic qualities in the book include; supernatural involvement, an epic hero, genealogy,
superhuman or extra-ordinary deeds and multiple setting.
First, all epics present supernatural wonders beyond our human understanding. Niane D.T has
presented the same in his book Sundiata Epic of old Mali in the following ways; we are
introduced to the buffalo woman who later becomes the mother of the epic hero-Sundiata in the
story in the story. The author has described her as; ‘’ she is ugly ,she is hideous , she bears on
her back a disfiguring hump her monstrous eyes seem to have laid on her face…’’(page 6).This
woman is not a normal woman. Even when the king marries her he is so worried because he
cannot possess her, since she is extremely strong and her body is covered by long hairs, she is
very energetic woman therefore overpowering the king making him look weak.’’ I even doubt
whether she is a human being…’’ The king confesses his uncertainty. To crown it all, sogolon is
unable to be killed by the great sorcerer of Mali. Sassouma , the co-wife to sologon wanted to
kill her since she is jealous but all in vain since sorcerers declared themselves incapable of
tackling sogolon . Throughout the entire story there’s an involvement of jinn(spirit). The jinn
seem to understand and answer what human is incapable of doing.The birth of Sundiata is due to
divine intervention. A hunter who is a soothsayer foretells his birth. It seems that when Sundiata
is about to be born, the entire nature awaits for him. Nature is alerted and in response, ‘’Suddenly
the sky darknes an great clouds coming from the east hid the sun, although it was still the dry
season. Thunder began to rumble and swift clouds tend to rent the clouds…’’Niane (13).



Second, any epic must be centred on an epic hero. The hero is usually outstanding, important and
historically or legendary significant. D.T Niane centres the plot around a hero of unbelievable
stature. Sundiata, epic hero of the book takes seven years to walk, something that is not normal
to any child development. Similarly, epic heroes are born with the ability to perform tasks
impossible to others. Sundiata completes what everyone attempts. He decides to walk and
supporting himself, he picks up iron bar without any effort, the iron bar that was carried by six
apprentices. He further takes up the baobab tree together with its leaves and puts it on his
shoulder and took it to his mother.Through these remarkable actions, Sundiata earns respect from
the whole kingdom and many of his peers wanted to be with him. He became the leader of
hunting activities and has been described to have great strength and prowess.`He was a lad full of
strength; his arms had the strength of ten and his biceps inspired fear among his
companions…’’.While Sundiata is in exile at Mema, his first campaign was very successful.
People respected him and were happy that he may be the heir to the throne since the king had no
son. In addition, the king appointed him as his viceroy; in the king’s absence he governed. The
most important and heroic actions, that shall always go down to history is his determination to
restore the kingdom of Niane which was under the siege of the evil sorcerer, Soumaoro. Sundiata

3. is heroically remembered by defeating Soumaoro and takes over the kingdom, establishing a
large empire known as Mali. He has been said to possess valour that is equivalent to ten people.
The country of Mali today owes much to Sundiata and the heroism has been retold many
centuries in the past and so it shall be in the forth generations. Sundiata has been termed as great
not even equivalent to Alexender The Great!
Third, genealogy is highlighted in epics. The overall purpose of an epic is to validate the national
or cultural identity of people by making them a part of something bigger than they are as
individuals. D. T Niane has used the omniscient narrator, the griot; Mamoudou Kouyatd to tell
us the story of Sundiata, the father of the Bright Country Mali. “Listen then sons of Mali,
children of the black people, listen to my word, for I am going to tell you of Sundiata…” (2)
Kouyatd then gives out the lists of the kings who belong to Keitas and came before Sundiata.
The narrator seems to recite his kinship throughout the story to show his significance in the story
and identifies himself with the Keita Kings. “It is I, Djeli Mamandou Kouyatd, son of Binton…”
Since time immemorial, the Kouyatds have been in the service of the Keita princes of Mali, we
are vessels of speech, we are repositories which harbour secrets many centuries old.” (2) By this
the reader gets to know on how Mali as a nation came into existence. The reader also knows the
role of the griots in the formation of this particular country. Throughout the epic, the importance
of the griot is stressed numerous times. “The art of eloquence has no secrets for us; without us
the names of kings would vanish into oblivion, we are the memory of mankind…” It is not a
surprise when we therefore realize that King Maghan Kon Fatta, the father of Sundiata had a
griot; Gnankonman Doua. Sundiata himself had a griot; the son of Dona, Balla Fasseke. Griots
were very central to the formation of a kingdom since they were royal advisors to the kings.
Genealogy holds people together and give them sense of belonging/identity.” I derive my
knowledge from my father Djeli Kedian, who also got it from his father; history holds no
mystery for us…(page1)


Fourth, an epic is founded in multiple settings. The setting may be large covering many nations
or the known world. In D.T Niane’s book, Sundiata; The Epic of old Mali,specifically the capital
which is Niani. Sundiata is the son of the King, Maghan, heir to the throne.’’may your destiny be
accomplished,but never forget that Niani is your capital and Mali the cradle of your
ancestors…’’ However, Sundiata also travels to Djedeba, a town on the Niger for exile, after
Sossouma threatens to kill or harm Sundiata’s siblings since he failed on Sundiata himself. After
sometime, he sojournes to seek hospitality from the king of Tabon in the country which is called
the Fouta Djallon today.While in Tabon,Sundiata shows his leadership skills,even the king of
Tabon remarkably said,’’If he has a kingdom one day everything will obey him because he
knows how to command .’’ Sundiata and the family further continued exile to Mema the capital
of the great kingdom on the Niger whereby Sundiata was very much appreciated and respected
him because of his prowess in his first campaign. The king is said to have not an heir to the
throne hence the people of Mema averred that Sundiata will be the one and would extend his
dominion from Mema to Mali. Later the king of Mema appointed Sundiata his Viceroy. In the

4. king’s absence it was Sundiata who governed. When time came and Sundiata received the Bad
News over Mali being under the siege of the evil sorcerer Soumaoro, he returned back and
restores the kingdom by defeating Soumaoro. He creates a large empire. Therefore, the actions
the hero of the story finds himself to occur in multiple settings. A feature that is very central to
almost all epics.

Lastly, Length is very central to epics. It should be a long narrative poem. An epic is
distinguished in verse form other than prose. However, in D.T Niane’s Sundiata The Epic Of
Old Mali, One may ask whether it is epic or not. This is because the narration is in form of prose.
In an attempt to address such an issue, the composition of the book is poetic in nature. The story
has been given in a series of sentences that if one distinguishes one from the other, would be
very nice and pleasant poem .For instance ,these prose sentence can be reformed in the followed:
We are vessels of speech
We are repostories which harbour secrets…
The art of eloquence has no secrets for us.
We are the memory of mankind
History holds no mystery for us
Niane, (1)
In the above examples the sentences are purely poetic in manner of appearance. It should be
known that many stylistic features contribute to poetry not merely the verse form and look to
other characteristics like rhythm, the above sentences obey the rule of poetry. In addition, this
type of composition by D.T Niane is full of songs. for example, the song by Balla is purely
poetic:
There he is, Soumaoro Kantd.
All hail, you who sit on the skins of kings
All hail, simbon of the deadly arrow
I salute you, you who were clothes of human skin
Niane (40)

In a nutshell, any narration about an extra-ordinary deeds, under superhuman circumstances is an
epic. Scholars have argued that any civilized society must have an epic therefore D.T Niane
answers back to the western scholar’s concept about African has lacking an epic. This kind of
genre therefore defines what a nation is all about, their cultural values and their identity. Through
sundiata; Epic of old Mali, the reader understands how Mali has a nation come into being.

5. References
Niane D.T(2006) Sundiata; An epic of old Mali
Petermo, D.R 1994.The true Lion King of Africa: The Epic history of Sundiata, King of Old
Mali.