African Proverbs and from Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
Review
Identify the following characters from Sundiata
1. Sogolon Djata
2. Sogolon
3. Nare Maghan
4. Sassouma
5. Farakourou
6. Balla Fasseke
a. jealous wife; mocks Sogolon
and Sogolon Djata
b. King’s griot; passed on to
Sogolon Djata
c. crippled prince;
underestimated
d. blacksmith; has iron rod
ready for Sogolon Djata
e. King of Mali; has many wives
f. most favored wife of the
king; is mother to Sogolon
Djata
7. Find and quote a passage from Sudiata that illustrates a conflict
between Sogolon Dijata and society.
8. What is the significance of the fact that the iron bar that would help
Sogolon stand up was already made? Use evidence from Sundiata to
support your answer.
9. Give examples of each virtuous trait from the story:
Trait
Honor
Example from Sundiata
Dignity
Respect for Tradition
10. Find instances in which Sogolon Djata deals with each of the three
kinds of conflict. How does he overcome each obstacle? Write an
example of each kind of conflict in the chart, and explain the hero’s
efforts to resolve it.
Conflict
1. Between Sogolon
Djata and another
character
Example of Conflict
Resolution of Conflict
2. Between Sogolon
Djata and society
3. Within Sogolon Djata
12. When the king asks his soothsayer about his son, Sogolon Djata, the
soothsayer offers a proverb: “Great trees grow slowly but they plunge their
roots deep into the ground.” What does he mean by this? How is the
statement true based on the epic? Answer this question in a brief
paragraph, using SPECIFIC examples from Sundiata.