African history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

African history - Essay Example of how a powerful leader might approach changing ideologies within his own homeland in order to both reach the common people as well as the important figures at court. To understand how this came to be, a brief summary of Sundiata’s story is necessary. Born into a Muslim household to a deformed woman who seemed to have passed the idea of deformity onto her son, Sundiata’s beginnings were humble enough for a born prince. He is described as lazy, glutinous, seldom spoke and was unable to walk on his own. Nevertheless, his father provided him with a powerful griot in the belief that he would someday be king. Through a desire to help his mother stop crying, he was able to begin walking. To keep him safe from his elder half-brother, who had already sent his half-sister and griot away to the enemy king Suomaoro of Sosso, Sundiata and his mother fled to far-away lands where Sundiata learned how to hunt, fight and gained in wisdom. When he learned Suomaoro had overtaken his homeland of Mari, Sundiata returned, gathering fighters along the way. Through several battles involving aspects of both religions, Sundiata finally prevails over Suomaor o and founds an empire of his own. Elements of the traditional African religions can be seen traced throughout the book. Even before he is born, it was the voice of the soothsayers that led Sundiata’s father to marry his buffalo-woman mother, saying that one day he would make a great king. It is again the soothsayers of the old religions that have already prepared a great iron bar against that day when Sundiata would call for it in order to help him gain his feet. â€Å"The master of the forges, Farakourou, was the son of the old Nounfari, and he was a soothsayer like his father. In his workshops there was an enormous iron bar wrought by his father Nounfari. Everybody wondered what this bar was destined to be used for.† Witches are called to destroy him, but cannot because he is good of heart. His sister is also a