Sundiata Myths

German Egyptologist Hellmut Brunner translates the “Inscription of Antef,” which defines a philosopher as: “[He is the one] whose heart is informed about these things which would be otherwise ignored, the one who is clear-sighted when he is deep into a problem, the one who is moderate in his actions, who penetrates ancient writings, whose advice is [sought] to unravel complications, who is really wise, who instructed his own heart, who stays awake at night as he looks for the right paths, who surpasses what he accomplished yesterday, who is wiser than a sage, who brought himself to wisdom, who asks for advice and sees to it that he is asked advice. (Inscription of Antef, 12th Dynasty, 1991–1782 bc)” This displays that a philosopher is a multi-faceted human being, a jack-of-all trades. A philosopher is one who is able to give advice on topics of interest, and when he or she does not know, they are not afraid of searching through texts from civilizations older than themselves. They do this as a means to solve the various problems that they are given. Africana philosophy is a tool such that one is able to tap into past texts in order to provide support for those around them. In this essay I will further discuss Africana philosophy as well as its characteristics and how it differs from Eurocentric philosophy.

It is established that Africa is one of the largest continents, the motherland of slavery, and is rich in economic goods. Africa is also the home of Ghana, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt, but why is it only argued that Egyptians are not Africans? Egyptians today are categorized as Arabic or Islamic, but what happened to the African culture within Egypt? Scott Trafton author of “Egypt Land” argues that the American carelessness for Egypt was precisely affiliated to anxieties over race and race-based slavery. He presents how the obsession with ancient Egypt, in the mist of both black and white Americans was disclosed in a spectrum of often contradictory ways. It’s been said and proven that Egyptian had dark skin and cores hair but spoke another language.

Over the course of this semester many of the literary works that have been read contained some source of message designed to both teach and improve either the reader or society. Amongst this collection of enlightening literary works, there have been a particular few that have illustrated this idea as well as highlighted particular historical facts about a specific civilization. One distinct book that has met both of these general objectives is Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. Throughout this story the author discusses the life of a young king, and illustrates unique facts about the ancient Mali society. In the process of reading this epic tale, it became clear that

The inclination to belittle the reality of female heroism while encouraging male heroism is far more conspicuous in African epics as compared to any other African literary genre. Many African epics, although on might question why women are not quite the actual heroines, they are portrayed as just attachments of their male equals, regardless of the fact that without their involvement, male heroes would not exist at all. The matter lies more on the tendency and habituation to perceive heroism in especially male terms as opposed to whether figures of women were at first exalted in the initial African epics. A closer scrutiny of the epic under study here reiterates s this statement. In The Epic of Sundiata, the Buffalo woman, Sogolon Kedjou, appears to be the one of the principal heroines due to the fact that she exemplifies all the relevant traits of a heroine. Sunjata’s epic role of women exhibits Sogolon’s empowerment as a user

Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali was originally orally told by Djeli Mamoudou Kouyate, who then gave the story to Djibril Tamsir Niane. Djibril was originally born in Guinea and was a descendent of African storytellers. He is also an African historian who got his degree from the University of Bordeaux in France. He taught at the Institutes Polytechnique before he joined the Basic Institute of Black Africa. This book was originally told and written in Mandingo by Djeli, then translated into French by Djibril, and then translated into English by G.D. Pickett. There is nothing known about the translator and author G.D. Pickett.

Sundiatas’ story is told by a griot. He begins with Maghan Kan Fatta, the ruler of Niani, and Sundiatas’ father. The king is told by a soothsayer that his true heir would be the child coniceved from his marriage to an ugly woman. Shortly after royal hunters bring Sogolon to Maghan Kan Fatta, an ugly maid from a far-off land. In order to fulfill the prophecy, he takes Sogolons hand in marriage and shortly after Sundiata was born.

Hero identity within Bamba Suso’s The Sunjata Epic of the Mandinka People of West Africa and D.T. Niane’s Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali is the driving force that propels the hero forward in his conquest. While past scholarly research on these two epics including Siendou Konate’s “Violence in Two Epics: A Comparative Study of Chaka and Sundiata” has emphasized rites of passage on the creation of hero identity, it has neglected the importance of naming on the formation of such identity. From my reading of Sundiata and Sunjata, naming acts as a catalyst by changing the hero’s identity during transformational moments within the texts. Furthermore, the lack of attention on the way in which naming constructs the hero’s identity presents an avenue for further inquiry within both Suso and Niane’s versions of the epic. Through a literary analysis of Niane’s Sundiata and Suso’s Sunjata, I will demonstrate that the names bestowed upon Sundiata and Sunjata by their respective griots during transformational moments within the text sculpt each protagonist’s heroic identity.

In this article entitled “Ancient Egypt” The writer states the great of the Egyptian ancient and how it became the dominant civilization in the Mediterranean world referred to its acquisition by the marvelous Alexander in 322 B.C. monuments, objects and artifacts have been the leading resources of information. The writer exceeds how the Egyptian culture arises the simple beauty of its art, execution of its architecture or its religious traditions affluence. Nefertiti Akhenaton’s wife during his rule played an important political and religious in the monotheistic cult of the sun god Aton. Nefertiti images and incise represents her famous beauty and role as a living goddess of abundance. Communities in the northeastern Africa alternate

In the myth "phaëton" a young mortal named phaëton was told by his mother that his father was the sun god. He tells the kids about his father being a god at school and they laugh at him. frustrated,he decides to go to the sun god himself to find out once for all if it's the truth or not. Later that day, phaëton makes it to the sun God and asks him if it really is true. The sun god answered yes and to prove it, he grants phaëton a wish on the Styx. Then, out of excitement phaëton wishes to ride around on his father's chariot. The sun god knew it would not go well, for only he could control the chariot, but after swearing on the Styx he must grant him that wish. Soon enough phaëton is riding around in the chariot. It at first it goes well,

The account of Cadamosto’s voyage to West Africa, while shrouded in mystery, offers an insight into West African culture as well as the nature of the interactions between Europeans and the people of West Africa. Cadamosto begins his account with details of his time spent in the kingdom of Senega with Lord Budomel. He then continues on with his travels where he encounters another group of West Africans who are not interested in friendship and proceed to attack the Europeans. When compared to Columbus’s account in the latter half of the fifteenth century, Cadamosto’s account contains striking similarities. Both Columbus and Cadamosto share a deep interest in the culture of the people they encounter. Also, they both describe the people of the

The year is 1797 and we are in the heart of Segu located in West Africa and unforeseen change are arriving on the horizon. In the novel Segu, by Maryse Conde we explore an empire at its height on the brink of drastic change and conflict. In this Historical fiction novel Conde introduces the major theme of change, which is brought about through the spread of foreign religions, the rise of the slave trade, and the death of traditional ways in Segu. These major themes are conveyed through the use of the use of the Traore family and their four sons Tiekoro, Siga, Naba, and Malobi who each represent a form of change in Segu. In the novel Conde takes the readers on a trip experiencing average life in West Africa as we follow each of the fours sons journeys to make a new name for themselves. Conde gives many subtle themes and thoughts on segu and its downfall but mostly sets up the novel in a way that allows the reader to gather perspective on life in segu and form their own argument and contention.

Long history of Ireland is full of mythology and folklore. The ancient societies of Ireland, the Druids, and the Celts, who believed in the power of magic and many of these beliefs extended to the legends they nowadays told him over and over throughout the country. Stories of warriors with all the knowledge of the world, fairies who play jokes to the owners of estates and goblins hide the gold at the end of the rainbow add to the mysterious appeal of Ireland. The peoples of northern Europe who shared ideologies and policies based on druidism belonging to the Celtic tribes were grouped mainly on the island of Scotland, most of Britain and much of Ireland. (Harris, Shell, et al. “Top 10 Irish myths and legends.” History. Toptenz.net, 17 Mar. 2011. Web. 3 Feb. 2017.)

Chimaera is a Greek mythological beast, a hybrid creature composed of many parts of different animals. It is also a scientific term referring to an organism composed of cells from different species.

This book is about deciphered palm of the Beast (the historical accounts and the astrological analysis of the Ngoma (Ark) King called Ntaba Kayikhonjwa), who happens to be the only Pharaoh of the city of the Sun in Egypt. Pharaoh is the elephant behind Shaka Zulu (the boulders hiding elephants, the other elephant being the Egyptian Messiah: CHENT IRTI). The book is also about the underwater battles of colonial scholars and the Red Buffalo in Zululand and also the old and the endless animosity between Rome and five African

African stories have been orally spread from one generations to another. A story can contain a village and sorceress with other characters in the story. This type of story can be expressed by a griot. A Griot is a West African historian, storyteller, singer and a poet a poet. They are usually the keeper of the verbal custom. For instance, in the movie scene (Kirkou and sorceress). The movie mentioned the use of two older people of the village scene. The old man in the village under a tree, who is incompetent because he believes in superstition. While Kirikou's grandfather who exists on the other side of the village (Mountain) was a knowledgeable man. There was a contradictory between the characters which proposes that to be old is not an assurance of