Response Assignment of Sundiata, an Epic of Old Mali

Ria Mayacita Sugembong (Maya)

Response Assignment of Sundiata, An Epic of Old Mali

There were many women that played specific roles in the story of Sundiata, An Epic of Old Mali. First is Sundiata’s mother, Sogolon Kedjou. Sogolon Kedjou’s mother was a buffalo. When two hunters defeated the buffalo, the buffalo asked the hunters to take her daughter, Sogolon, and to give her a child. Sogolon was depicted as the buffalo women who had deformities in her bodies, and was reminded over and over again in the story that she was the ugliest women that ever lived, but she brought fortune to whomever man that conquered her. It was told in the prophecies by the soothsayers that Sogolon’s son would be the next reigning King after Maghan Kon Fatta. The Great King that would be greater than Alexander the Great and that will unite The Great Kingdom of Mali. In this regard women played an important role as the one that determine a great descendant for the next successor after King Maghan Kon Fatta. Sundiata’s step mother, Sassouma Berete, even though was the first wife of King Maghan Kon Fatta, she did not give birth to the next successor. The next successor was not based on who was the first born of the first wife of The King, but it is more of the women that had been prophesied. It does not matter who the father of Sundiata was, what matter was the mother. The mother was the one who brought the gene to become the next successor.

The children of The King was recognized based on the mother. Sundiata was known more as the son of Sogolon rather than the son of King Maghan Kon Fatta. The King’s children lived with their mother. In this matter women played an important role not only as the care giver but also as the marker of the children’s ancestry, whereas in many tribe for example, Arabs, they use the name of their father to mark each person’s ancestry.

Women also depicted to have power over the Kingdom. After the death of King Maghan Kon Fatta, Sundiata’s step mother, Sassouma Berete, took over the power of the kingdom. Sassouma Berete’s eldest son, Dankaran Touman, was too young to lead when King Maghan Kon Fatta died. Sassouma Berete took over everything and even as so far to have the power to corner Sundiata’s family and let the family to live in a small hutch in the corner. Sassouma Berete even had the power to destroy Sundiata’s family, which leave Sundiata and his family to flee Mali, and find refuge in other areas.