The main theme of this story was the importance of tradition and family. There were also what I considered to be sub themes in each In “the First Kings of Mali” chapter who you came from was a strong theme . In this chapter it is explained who Sundiata comes from. In this chapter you read about the Mali in the beginning and how it was a province of the Bambara kings (Mandingo), to Lahilatol Kalabi the first black prince to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, followed by many kings like Maghan Kon Fatta who was the father of Sundiata.
The Buffalo Woman theme was in my opinion primarily about being oretelling the destiny of Maghan Kon Fatta and Sogolon Kedjou. In this chapter a visitor to Maghan Kon Fatta village foretold the events that were The Lion child , Childhood, and The Lion’s awakening was basically about the roots of Sundiata beginnings. The Exile theme was about survival. In this chapter Sogolon made the The following chapters in my opinion were about the right of justice or the right of Sundiata to be the king of Mali. The rest of these chapter told about the wars wage by Sundiata to gain his homeland and the length at Sundiata: the main character.
He was the “hero of many names” (Sundiata, Sogolon Djata, Nare Maghan Djata, son of Nare Maghan, Sogo Sogo Simbon Salaba) He was the exiled prince who from great hardship regained his homeland and his rightful title as king or Mansa. Maghan Kon Fatta : father of Sundiata Soumaoro Kanta: the sorcerer king of Sosso who conquered Mali. Sassouma Berete: Maghan Kon Fatta first wife. She was the catalyst of Sogolon Kolonkan : sister of Sundiata Sogolon Djamarou : sister of Sundiata The style or form of this story is written in as the writer describes “archaic ormulas”1 .
The story’s form was one of many descriptive paragraphs to explain the event being told. Many times in the story hymns or songs describe the happening many of which did not rhyme as poem or songs often do. The language of the characters was written in slang or a mixer of English and the N’Ko2. Symbolism in the book was frequent for example when Soumaoro Kanta sorcerer power halted. Upon reaching Soumaoro abode Sundiata had seen the fetishes of Soumaoro power dying which symbolize the absence of Soumaoro’s power.
