The Women Role of Sunjata Epic: Sogolon Essay Example

murder anyone who goes out of the village at sundown. Her brother employs all the options at his disposal to stop her but in vain. Eventually, it was the simple signal of respect, care and love that two hunting brothers showed her that softened the Buffalo woman’s heart. As a symbol of appreciation for their compassion, Sogolon chooses to give up her way of life for a better purpose (Curry, 56). The Buffalo woman demonstrates to the two hunters how to subjugate her although on her own conditions, which is a very high expression of supremacy. Her decision will alter the path of history eternally. In this sense, she becomes a heroine behind Sundiata the hero. As well, the tools she gives the two hunters, the egg and the disdaff, are strong symbols of womanhood and femininity. The disdafff, called ‘jenekala’ in Mandenkan, is solely utilized by women as they convert cotton into thread. On the other hand, the egg is only laid by a female for procreation.

Furthermore, the two brother hunter narrate that other hunters were running away from the Buffalo woman and the fact that she slew a number of others. After learning about the reason behind her grudge against her brother (deprival of her inheritance share) along with her murdering a lot of hunters, she can only be considered human since what pushed her is understandable from a human point of view. In any case, she is not as evil bearing in mind she redeem herself via death which is a definitive expressions of greatness and power, or of heroism in other words.
Sogolon Kedjou is the spirit of the Buffalo woman. She

returns through Sogolon to produce offspring and alter the destiny of humankind everlastingly. The buffalo woman recognized that the hunters will not be in a position to have power over Sogolon and that they will eventually hand her over to the King, Maghan Kon Fatta Konate. She was able to foresee things that the two young hunter brothers could hardly notice. Generosity is considered an instrument of power which can as well be employed to conquer a mightier authority (African Rythmns, 36). The Buffalo woman’s bigheartedness makes her agree to die so that Sogolon can accomplish her fate of giving birth to the prospect king of Mali who will in turn alter the fate of an the whole empire along with humankind. Her death can be considered basis of redemption as well as exaltation, a calling for a senior cause.

Likewise, Sogolon’s death symbolizes the time is ripe for Sundiata to take over authority. There was a better cause to be served than the Buffalo woman’s fury against her brother. Consequently, she chooses to die so as to accomplish that cause. It’s Sogolon, Sundiata’s mother, who offers him his supernatural abilities. It’s very remarkable to note the fact that Sogolon’s sway on Sundiata’s individuality is so significant that he carries her name in a community where kids take after their father’s as opposed to their mother’s surname. In reality, Sundiata was later renamed ‘Sogolon Djata’. This undoubtedly gives evidence to the authority that women hold in shaping the hero’s life along with prospect profession. That is why Sundiata is described through and by Sogolon.

Sogolon is held in high regard due to the fact she is recognized

for not only giving birth to Sundiata, but also for protecting as well as educating him on all that he required to become the future ruler and savior of Mali. Sogolon’s supernatural abilities are by far great as compared to those of her husband. It’s for this reason that he wasn’t able have power over her. He was not able to equal her powers and influence. Consequently, he had to come up with a human deception so as to conquer her (Austen, 121).

In the Mande way of life, women contribute a vital task in passing on the customs to their children. Bearing this in mind, when a child doesn’t stick to societal customs, it is the mother, and not the father who is to be held responsible. The fear of such a dishonor explains the absolute devotion that a lot of mothers have a comparison with their kids. owing to the belief that a mother’s manners directly affects negatively or positively the prospect and fate of her children, a lot of women come to believe that their kids will succeed in life if they put up with and endure all kinds of ill-treatments from their co-wives, in-laws as well as husbands for the welfare of their kids. They endeavor to be obedient, loving, polite and kind to their husbands regardless of the price they have to pay. The eventual prize of all these virtues is successful and blessed kids. In conversations, people were keen on comparing and contrasting Sogolon’s reserve with the self-importance and hatred of Soussoum Berete, her co-wife. It was argued that it since the former had been a commendable mother as well

as wife, God had given power to her son.

While introducing Sundiata, Jeli Mamodou Kouyote, brings up the name Sundiata’s mother three times prior to mentioning the name of his father, thus underscoring the dominance of his mother’s possession of his position as a hero. Sogolon goes to exile so as to secure the lives of her kids. The reality that she keeps on moving from one place to another looking for protection of her kids qualifies her as the craftswoman of her son’s development as well as grooming to the throne. Even though Sogolon was a more powerful woman than her husband the king, she was ready to suffer in order that her kids, particularly Sundiata can gain from her selflessness, submission and humility. The surname of Sogolon which is ‘Diarra’ as well refers to a lion. All through the epic Sundiata is defined time and again through his mother. He is continuously called ‘Sondjata’ or ‘Sundiata’ or even ‘Sogolon Djata’ which are all used interchangeably to mean ‘Sogolon son’. There is no describing Sundiata the hero apart from through his mother (Sogolon Jansen & Henk, 78).

Furthermore, the history of hero Sundiata is more anchored in his mother Sogolon’s mysticism than when compare to his father. In reality Sogolon, has a strong bearing on the fate of Sundiata, hence on the nation’s fate. The power of Sogolon is as well found in her dual identity as a buffalo (resulting from her magical abilities) and her identity as a lion (her surname is Diarra). Sogolon’s power as a buffalo prevails that of the lion. According to West African stories, the lion is constantly the sovereign over

all animals in the Savannah.

Additionally, Sogolon as well plays a double task as the nurturer as well as the teacher of the prospect hero throughout his upbringing. This is even extra emphasized by the fact that she as well had to act as the father since his father the king passed away when he was just seven years old. Sogolon had to bear public contempt and mockery in order that Sundiata would have a successful life as well as accomplish his fate. Sundiata decided to walk so that he can comfort his mother after the anguish and humiliation she underwent as a result of his paralysis. In the early hours that day, Sassouma Betere mocked Sogolon when she had come to request some baobab leaves.

By the use of very malicious and hurtful insults that focused of Sundiata’s frailty and hence to his incapability to get baobab leaves for his mother as each in his age should do, Sassouma Betere hurled the baobab leaves at her face. Sundiata had had enough of Sassouma Betere’s endless ridicule aimed at her mother and therefore decided to walk so that he can take the baobab tree to his mother’s entrance. The baobab leaves triggered the event leading to Sundiata’s walking and is later used to situate him in Mema. Yet again, the baobab leaves will aid in an extremely decisive part in the accomplishment of Sundiata’s fate (Gale, 47). Sogolon’s strength is apparent all through the epic. From the moment that she is named the buffalo woman to the moment that she takes her family across Mali all the way to Ghana, Sogolon continues to be the core strength

for the Keita family unit. The wisdom and strength of Sogolon makes her one of the most important heroes of this story.

Work cited

1. Scholars Publishing. Print.
2. Performance. Bloomington u.a.: Indiana Univ. Press, 1999. Print.
3. Traditions of Four Continents. Mu?nster: Lit, 2004. Print.
4. Cengage Learning, 2016. Internet resource Iliffe, J. Honour in African History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print.
5. African Rythmns: New Approaches to Literature. Oxford, England: African Library of Critical Writing, 2014. Print.