Son-Jara, Medea, and the Ramayana

English 2010

11 June 2014

Word Count: 1007

Power, Authority, and Royalty with a Smidge of Banishment

Power, authority, royalty, what more could one ask for in life? What lengths would one go to gain such things? In the stories of The Epic of Son-Jara, Medea, and The Ramayana, three very different routes are taken to achieve such status. One on a path with the guidance and assistance of supernatural magic, another using his ability to adhere to dharma, and one using murder and revenge. In all these stories, the main character must overcome obstacles and challenges to gain the power and authority that they each were either destined to have or desperately needed.

The Epic of Son-Jara is exactly that, an epic, which is a long poem typically derived from ancient oral tradition telling of legendary figures. This poem was performed orally by “griots” or professional poets, in West Africa around 750 years ago. It is comprised of 3,084 lines of poetry that still maintains its orality, although it is written. Orality is the quality of being communicated. In the Epic of Son-Jara, responses calls and songs of praise are included to uphold the oral component, which is fascinating. This particular epic tells of the creator and first great king the Mali Empire has ever known, Son-Jara. Son Jara’s life is filed with obstacles and hardships he must overcome in order to regain his homeland and transform it into an empire. One of Son-Jara’s biggest challenges occurred at birth and lasted for nine years. Saman Berete (second wife to Son-Jara’s father, Fata Magan) “summoned to her an Omen Master, For him to read the signs in sand, So Son-Jara would not walk” (line 1155). Son-Jara was unable to walk, but with the help of the supernatural he was able to do the impossible. On the tenth day of Dòmba, Son-Jara would rise and walk. A staff was created to assist him while walking and it was successful. “The Wizard took his right foot, And put it before his left. His mother followed him,...