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20201129100333sundiata Response

Content type
User Generated
Subject
History
School
Central Texas College
Type
Homework
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Running head: PART 2; THE QUESTIONS 1
Part 2; The Questions
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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THE QUESTIONS 2
Part 2; The Questions
Answer each one thoroughly. Some may require a bit more writing than others. Include specific
references to the reading with page citations as necessary.
1. Describe the position of the Griot. What is a Griot? What role do they play in Mali or in
the life and story of Sundiata?
In the West African culture, the Griot was the historian, passing down stories of the past
integrated with song, music, or poetry. As written in the book, the Griot is a master of eloquence
and the vessel of speech, and without their impact and presence, the names of kings would
vanish into oblivion (1). The Griot position is hereditary, ensuring that knowledge on leadership
and the life history of ancestors gets preserved across the select bloodline.
2. Evaluate the ways in which magic and religion appear in the account of Sundiata. (ie,
how are they intertwined? Who uses them and why?)
Magic and religion in the story of Suandita exist to serve several purposes, and though different,
the two intertwine and merge to bring out new perceptions and interpretations of the story. The
fantasy and magic elements relate to the local spiritual standards through jinn and other nature
spirits. Through consultations with the spirits such as jinn, the fate of the people and the nation
gets decided (45). They also intertwine with the Islamic religion, which is a foundation of West
Africans. Magic has also been used as a standard measure of good and evil. To them, magic is
not an element of the supernatural, but rather, an extension of the natural. The elements
controlling nature are all around them and displayed through the natural environment of trees,
mountains, and lakes. To tap into it, one was required to pay respect to the spirits. While Islam
emphasizes monotheism, there is no contradiction or dispute when the culture and tradition
identify with polytheism. Individuals within the story use magic for both good and bad, such a

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Running head: PART 2; THE QUESTIONS Part 2; The Questions Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation 1 THE QUESTIONS 2 Part 2; The Questions Answer each one thoroughly. Some may require a bit more writing than others. Include specific references to the reading with page citations as necessary. 1. Describe the position of the Griot. What is a Griot? What role do they play in Mali or in the life and story of Sundiata? In the West African culture, the Griot was the historian, passing down stories of the past integrated with song, music, or poetry. As written in the book, the Griot is a master of eloquence and the vessel of speech, and without their impact and presence, the names of kings would vanish into oblivion (1). The Griot position is hereditary, ensuring that knowledge on leadership and the life history of ancestors gets preserved across the select bloodline. 2. Evaluate the ways in which magic and religion appear in the account of Sundiata. (ie, how are they intertwined? Who uses them and why?) Magic and religion in the story of Suandita exist to serve several purposes, and though different, the two intertwine and merge to bring out new perceptions and interpretations of the story. The fantasy and magic elements relate to the local spiritual standards through jinn and other nature spirits. Through consultations with the spirits such as jinn, the fate of the people and the nation gets decided (45). They also intertwine with the Islamic religion, which is a foundatio ...
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