In this excellent example of an African epic, Sundiata,
the epic hero of the people of Mali. Coming from rather obscure origins, being born to a
hunchback wife and a handsome prince, Sundiata is the epic hero who succeeds in
delivering his own people from a ruthless tyrant and also establishing Mali into a
powerful empire. His epic quest is therefore one of a return to his rightful homeland
and an act of restoration as he restores Mali to the country that it once was and adds
to its power and prestige. Note how the epic quest that Sundiata must embark upon is
refered to by Mandjan Berete, Sassouma's brother:
Soumaoro Kante, the powerful king of Sosso, has
heaped death and desolation upon Mali. The king, Dankaran Touman, has fled and Mali is
without a master, but the war is not finished yet... We have consulted the jinn and they
have replied that only the son of Sogolon can deliver Mali. Mali is saved because we
have found you,
Sundiata.
Thus it is that
Sundiata finds out about the prophecy declaring him to be the saviour of Mali and the
archnemesis of the sorceror king, Soumaoro Kante, Sundiata's military exploits in
retaking his homeland and defeating the sorceror king make up a sizable portion of this
epic classic.
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