Sundiata
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
The Words of the Griot Mamadou Kouyaté The First Kings of Mali The Buffalo Woman The Lion Child Childhood The Lion's Awakening Exile Soumaoro Kanté: The Sorcerer King History The Baobab Leaves The Return The Names of the Heroes Nana Triban and Balla Fasséké Krina The Empire Kouroukan Fougan or The Division of the World Niani Eternal Mali
Themes
All Themes Storytelling and Memory Fate and Destiny Heroism Family, Community, and the Mali Empire Magic and Religion
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Sundiata/Maghan Mari Djata Sogolon Kedjou Manding Bory/Manding Boukari Soumaoro Kanté Sassouma Bérété Dankaran Touman Maghan Kon Fatta
Symbols
All Symbols Trees, Seeds, and Growing The Buffalo of Do Hymn to the Bow
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Sundiata
by D. T. Niane
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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis Summary
  • The Words of the Griot Mamadou Kouyaté
  • The First Kings of Mali
  • The Buffalo Woman
  • The Lion Child
  • Childhood
  • The Lion's Awakening
  • Exile
  • Soumaoro Kanté: The Sorcerer King
  • History
  • The Baobab Leaves
  • The Return
  • The Names of the Heroes
  • Nana Triban and Balla Fasséké
  • Krina
  • The Empire
  • Kouroukan Fougan or The Division of the World
  • Niani
  • Eternal Mali
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Storytelling and Memory Theme Icon
    Storytelling and Memory
  • Fate and Destiny Theme Icon
    Fate and Destiny
  • Heroism Theme Icon
    Heroism
  • Family, Community, and the Mali Empire Theme Icon
    Family, Community, and the Mali Empire
  • Magic and Religion Theme Icon
    Magic and Religion
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Sundiata/Maghan Mari Djata
  • Sogolon Kedjou
  • Manding Bory/Manding Boukari
  • Soumaoro Kanté
  • Sassouma Bérété
  • Dankaran Touman
  • Maghan Kon Fatta
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Trees, Seeds, and Growing Symbol Icon
    Trees, Seeds, and Growing
  • The Buffalo of Do Symbol Icon
    The Buffalo of Do
  • Hymn to the Bow Symbol Icon
    Hymn to the Bow
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Sundiata Study Guide

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MLA

Brock, Zoë. "Sundiata." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 24 Jul 2017. Web. 20 Sep 2026.


Chicago

Brock, Zoë. "Sundiata." LitCharts LLC, July 24, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2026. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/sundiata.

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