Can someone write a paper for me about the myth of Bakaridjan Kone?
Geography
The Bamana Empire was located in Western Sudan, near the Upper Niger River. Members of the Bambara ethnic group trace their origins to this area, and particularly the capital of Segu, which is why it is regularly referred to as the Segu Empire. Most of the events in this story occur
in Segu.
Social Structure
Citizens of Bambara society were born into a particular social status which was inherited by the next generation. Donna Rosenberg notes that the nobles were at the top of the social hierarchy, as they were also Segu’s warriors, and they were succeeded by the following groups:
djeli, craftsmen, and artisans
magicians, farmers, and herdsmen
enslaved peoples
Our hero, Bakaridjan, was not born into nobility. He was born into a poor farming family.
The king relied on a number of advisors and courtiers in matters of governance, but the djeli, bards or minstrels, held a special place in court. The chief djeli served as an advisor to the King and spoke on his behalf. In Bambara society, djeli’s were tasked with preserving the king and other hero’s great deeds. They would have told similar stories as The Epic of Bakaridjan Kone for entertainment. They would often perform with a ngoni, a small four-stringed lute. These performances were dynamic and interlaced with discussions regarding aspects of Bambara culture. Djeli were very powerful in their community because their songs and words memorialized and preserved the reputations that the rulers and warriors fought so hard to establish.
Warrior Honor Code
As a warrior society, the Bambara developed a complex set of combat rules. Bambara warriors were expected to fight fairly. They could not, for instance, gang up on someone who was incapacitated. To shrink from a fight was an unbearable disgrace, and it was dishonorable to fight someone who showed fear. Another aspect of warrior culture was the pillaging and enslaving of neighboring people captured in war in order to demonstrate a warrior’s might and power. It was, however, dishonorable for a free man to fight an enslaved man, and the penalty for an enslaved man striking a free man was death. The Bambara warrior code extended to civic life as well. Warriors were expected to be generous. It was also their duty to protect their most vulnerable citizens. A model warrior, such as Bakaridjan, actively addressed poor behaviors towards defenseless groups such as children and the elderly. Both in his victories and failures, Bakaridjan’s actions communicate the significance of the strict Bambara warrior code of honor so central to their way of life.
Bambara Spiritual Beliefs
Although the territories surrounding the Bamana Empire had been populated by Muslims for centuries, the Bambara resisted conversion and maintained their animistic belief system. They honored a modest pantheon of gods and practiced ancestor worship.
Despite their efforts to maintain their indigenous beliefs, however, we can see Islamic influence in many aspects of Bambara culture. In fact, the name “Bambara” was coined by the Muslims and means “unbelievers.” Muslim soothsayers, or morikes, were also said to have unique magical skills, such as the power to ward off harm and prophesize the future. Their system of divination involved reading the patterns of tossed kola nuts in relation to prophetic passages in the Koran. These powerful magical abilities were not attributed to their Bambara counterparts. Many of the warriors in The Epic of Bakaridjan Kone turn to morike for advice and a glimpse into the future.
Finally, Muslims introduced the idea of djinn (good and evil spirits). Djinn are described as having human-like forms, but they possess magical powers, supernatural strength, and cannot be killed by most weapons. While they have their own communities, they also interact with and influence humans. In this story, it is made clear that djinn have the preternatural ability to observe everything that happens on earth. As such, many of the characters seek magical assistance from these supernatural spirits.
The Epic of Bakaridjan Kone
Key Figures:
Bakaridjan Kone: Hero warrior of Segu
King Da Monzon: King of the Bamana Empire
Prince Da Toma: First born son and heir to the empire
Dosoke Zan: An undefeated champion
Simbalan: Bakaridjan's son
The Prophecy
Traditional architecture of the Bambara Segu utilized mud and clay to create homes and palaces.
During the reign of King Da Monzon, a woman from the farming village of Diosoro Nko gave birth to a baby boy. The woman and boy were, in themselves, unremarkable and of no relation to the king. However, the boy’s father was an attendant in the royal court. The boy's father had left his family to be a courtier and live off the king’s generosity. When news of the boy’s birth reached the capital, the boy’s father refused to return home for the boy’s naming day. The king felt pity for the abandoned child. He sent the mother cowrie shells to pay for the naming ceremony and directed her to name the boy, Bakaridjan. Bakaridjan was raised by the farmer’s wives, Kumba and Jeneba.
Years passed. King Da Monzon grew older and began to worry about the future of his kingdom and which of his twelve sons might inherit his throne. The king was fearful that an outside challenge would destroy his dynasty. So, the king sought the advice of his wise man, the morike. The morike confirmed the king’s fears: A boy, prophesized to be the greatest warrior in all of Segu, existed. The king knew that such a warrior would pose a threat to his rule.
The morike’s divination did not tell him who the boy was, however. The king would have to test every boy in the kingdom to learn his identity. King Da Monzon would need to summon each boy to the Capital and bestow on them the honor of helping him mount his horse. As the king mounted, he would hold a spear and lean on it until it pierced the boy’s foot. If the boy cried out, he was not the hero.
Da Monzon first tested his many sons, hoping one would turn out to be the hero. When none passed the test, he tested every boy in the Capital but did not find his hero. Finally, the chief djeli reminded the king that the morike instructed them to check the entire kingdom. So, Da Monzon summoned all the boys from the villages throughout the kingdom, but still each boy cried out in pain when the spear pierced flesh. The king had all but given up on his search when the last boy arrived.
Bakaridjan, from the farming village of Diosoro Nko, helped the king into his stirrup. Like he’d done hundreds of times before, the king planted his spear into Bakaridjan’s foot. Bakaridjan, however, simply stood in silence. The day he dreaded had arrived. Da Monzon had to know for sure. He dismounted, pretending he had forgotten something. Upon his return, he summoned Bakaridjan to help him again. This time the king put his entire weight on the spear. Bakaridjan didn't cry out or flinch, even when the king tested him a third time. The king had found the hero he most feared, and Bakaridjan had demonstrated an unparalleled strength of character impressing those in attendance.
The king decided that he couldn’t afford to let Bakaridjan leave and invited him to court under the pretext of tending to his wounded foot. He then ordered Bakaridjan to stay as his guest and told the boy he would be treated as one of his own sons.
Bakaridjan at Court
Blacksmiths held a position of importance within Bambara culture.
Bakaridjan was a dutiful servant to the king. He sat silently in court listening to the proceedings while the royal princes played. The king was troubled by what he viewed as unusual behavior; Bakaridjan didn’t play like the other children. One day, as his own children carried on, Da Monzon scolded them. He pointed to Bakaridjan and told his sons the morike’s prophecy. He told them this young hero would shine brighter than anyone in Segu and challenge their birthright. Upon learning this, the oldest of the king’s sons, Da Toma proclaimed he would kill Bakaridjan before that happened. Da Toma’s threat left Bakaridjan crestfallen. His heart ached for his own family and Diosoro Nko.
The next day, the king’s sons and Bakaridjan went out into the fields to cut grass for the king’s horses. Bakaridjan had asked to come along, hoping to prove his loyalty to the king. Once they had bundled their bale, however, Da Toma challenged Bakaridjan to a fight. He declined Da Toma’s challenge, noting his foot was still healing. Da Toma refused to accept this and ordered his younger brothers to tie Bakaridjan up and beat him to death. The only one to refuse was Lakare, the youngest prince, who called the beating a dishonorable act. After the beating, the princes hid Bakaridjan’s unconscious body and left him for dead.
Bakaridjan eventually woke and returned to the palace, bloody and bruised. The king, pretending to be concerned, asked him what happened. Bakaridjan told the king he fell into a thorn bush and presented the king with the bale of grass he had collected. Though Da Monzon suspected his sons were to blame, he said nothing.
The next day, Bakaridjan returned to the fields with the princes. Once again, Da Toma challenged him to a fight to the death, and Bakaridjan refused. Once again, Da Toma’s younger brothers, except for Lakare, bound, beat, and left Bakaridjan for dead. When Bakaridjan revived, he shuffled into the palace with his bale of grass. When the king asked about his appearance, Bakaridjan said he fell on a rocky path. The same events happened again on the third day. When the king questioned him, Bakaridjan blamed the injuries on the roots of a great tree that had ensnared him, and he handed Da Monzon his share of grass for the king’s horse.
Bakaridjan had given the princes three opportunities to cease their dishonorable behavior. On the 4th day, Bakaridjan chose not to go with the king’s sons to the fields. Instead, he went to the blacksmith in the city and helped the man with his work. When the day was nearly done, the blacksmith asked Bakaridjan what sort of payment he wanted in return for his help that day. Bakaridjan asked the blacksmith to make him a blade the exact length of his arm. The blacksmith gladly made Bakaridjan a strong, sharp knife.
The next day, Bakaridjan returned to the fields with the royal princes. Once again, Da Toma challenged Bakaridjan to a fight to the death. This time, however, Bakaridjan accepted. He told Da Toma that they must fight without weapons, but the winner could kill the loser, and Da Toma agreed.
While Da Toma was taller and heavier than Bakaridjan, he tired more quickly. During the fight, he called out to his brothers for help. Lakare stopped the others, however, saying it would be dishonorable since it would change the terms of the fight. Instead, the brothers all vowed to fight Bakaridjan, one by one, if Da Toma were defeated. Eventually, Bakaridjan overcame Da Toma. With lightning speed, he pulled out his new knife and decapitated the prince. Then he smeared Da Toma’s blood on his own body as was the tradition in Bambara culture. Doing so signaled a victory and had a frightening effect on the enemy. In fact, upon seeing this, Da Toma’s younger brothers forgot their promises and raced back to the palace.
When the king saw his frightened sons pour into the palace, he sent armed guards to capture and kill Bakaridjan. When the guards saw the bloodied boy, however, they also ran away in fear. Knowing that upon his return to the palace, he might have to defend himself, Bakaridjan secretly entered the king’s bedroom and took one of his guns. He entered the court brandishing the gun. The chief djeli asked Bakaridjan what had happened between him and his brothers, showing him respect and reminding the court of the king’s now broken promise. Nonetheless, Bakaridjan refused to explain and directed them to ask the king’s sons instead.
The brothers were clearly ashamed and claimed that they didn’t see what had occurred. But then, in front of the entire court, the youngest brother, Lakare, spoke out. He gave a full account of the previous few days and even went so far as to advocate for Bakaridjan and effectively blame his father for creating the environment that led to Da Toma’s death. The king was mortified. His advisors discussed the events leading to Da Toma’s death and agreed that Bakaridjan couldn't be blamed for defending himself. While Da Monzon was deeply saddened by the death of his eldest son, he had no choice but to agree with his advisers. It’s in this way that Bakaridjan was absolved of all wrongdoing in the killing of Da Toma. Despite pardoning Bakaridjan’s actions, however, the king did not trust his presence at court and sent him back to Diosoro Nko.
Bakaridjan Becomes a Man
Bakaridjan undergoes much to prove himself both as a warrior and as a man.
The news from the Capital preceded Bakaridjan’s return to Diosoro Nko. When he arrived, he found children from all over the region eager to befriend him. He soon led a group of 400 boys. This brotherhood would agree to go through the ceremony of circumcision, which represented a shift from child to man in Bambara culture, at the same time.
On the eve of their manhood ceremony, the neighboring Fula army attacked the capital of Segu. The Fula warriors took cattle and many other valuable items from the citizens of Segu. King Da Monzon summoned all males able to fight to the capital to pursue the Fula army and retrieve the stolen goods. This included boys like Bakaridjan and his group. When the summons came, however, Bakaridjan did not leave with the group. He slept in that day, uninterested in returning to the Capital city in a hurry. When he finally arrived at the king’s palace, Da Monzon’s army had already ridden off to war.
Da Monzon tried to shame Bakaridjan, berating him for not joining his friends in the war party. But Bakaridjan ignored the king’s comments. He had come to perform his duty, despite his fraught history with the king. Bakaridjan demanded a suitable horse to go to war. When the king replied, there were none left, Bakaridjan asked for the king’s own horse and weapons. The king, too surprised to refuse, allowed Bakaridjan to ride off on his mount.
As Bakaridjan rode towards war, he could see the Segu army retreating in the distance. He realized that he had missed the battle, and Fula had defeated Segu’s warriors. Bakaridjan let the defeated warriors return to Segu and rode out to meet the Fula on his own. Once he reached their camp, Bakaridjan hid out of sight and waited until the Fula warriors fell asleep. He then snuck into their camp and led the livestock away to a safe distance. Once he was sure the animals were secure, he returned to the Fula camp and took out the king’s gun. He fired it into the air and yelled loudly that the Bambara were attacking. In the darkness, the startled Fula army began shooting blindly at one another, killing their own men in droves. When morning came, the casualties were significant, and the surviving Fula concluded they had been beaten by the Bambara and returned home.
Meanwhile, Bakaridjan had led the recovered cattle back to Segu. Despite being just a boy, he had accomplished great deeds, and he was welcomed as a hero. Even King Da Monzon celebrated his victory and awarded Bakaridjan his own horse. The king’s djeli praised him as a hero, and Bakaridjan became the leader of the Segu army.
Bakaridjan and the Water Djinn, Bilissi
Djinn are spirit beings of incredible power
As the leader of the king’s army, Bakaridjan continued to show respect and loyalty to the king. He won many victories on Da Monzon’s behalf and spent many years on campaigns to strengthen the Bamana Empire. It was during one of Bakaridjan’s long campaigns, that the water djinn of the Niger River banished one of their own: the loathsome djinn, Bilissi. Upon entering the human world, he took up residence in Segu.
Bilissi terrorized the citizens of Segu and demanded tribute each week. Everyone feared him, even the king, so they let him do whatever he wanted. When Bakaridjan returned and heard about Bilissi, he confronted the king about the djinn. King Da Monzon replied that there was no way to kill a djinn, but Bakaridjan believed there had to be a way. The king told him to leave Bilissi alone, but Bakaridjan didn’t listen. Instead, he confronted Bilissi at a feast and publicly challenged him to a duel to the death.
The duel would take place in four weeks. During this time, Bakaridjan set out to discover a way to kill the djinn. He sought the advice of a renowned morike. The morike gave Bakaridjan four amulets: one white, one black, and two red. He instructed Bakaridjan to buy two rams, one white and one black. He would place the white amulet on the white ram and name that ram, Bakaridjan. The black ram, with the black amulet, would be named Bilissi. The red amulets would give Bakaridjan the magic to call out to Bilissi.
Bakaridjan set the rams free to fight and watched them. The battle lasted a long time before the white ram ran off. The black ram and Bakaridjan followed. After many miles, they reached a dry well. The white ram quickly jumped over it, but the black ram stumbled and fell to its death.
On the day of the duel, Bakaridjan rode out past the city gates, and Segu barred the doors behind him. No one was to enter or leave the city until the battle was over. Bilissi gave Bakaridjan the chance to strike first. Bakaridjan fired three bullets at Bilissi, but, as they reached him, they bounced off an invisible shield. Then Bilissi charged towards Bakaridjan. He tried to strike him with his magical hobble, a weapon that would kill Bakaridjan instantly, but Bakaridjan avoided its touch. He then galloped away, leading Bilissi into the wild. Believing Bakaridjan was running from the fight, Bilissi charged after him with alarming speed. When the pair reached an empty well, however, Bakaridjan’s great stallion sailed easily above it and landed on the side, while Bilissi’s horse missed its landing. The horse and water djinn both fell into the well to their deaths.
The people of Segu rejoiced and praised Bakaridjan, but he paid a heavy price for his victory. He fell ill, unable to move or speak, having been cursed for killing the water djinn. Despite his loyal service, King Da Monzon still feared Bakaridjan, and he worried for his own heir. When he heard Bakaridjan was on the brink of death, he felt a great relief. However, Bakaridjan had fathered a son of his own, Simbalan Kone, and the young man petitioned Da Monzon for aid. He reminded the king of his debt to Bakaridjan and of Bakaridjan’s loyalty. Simbalan told the king to send his doctors and gave the king 40 days to heal his father. Upon hearing this threat, Da Monzon gathered his best doctors and wisest morikes to save Bakaridjan’s life.
Bakaridjan and Dosoke Zan
Sometime later, a Fula woman, Aminita, moved to the capital and caught the attention of Bakaridjan and two other warriors. The young warriors would call on Aminita, and she was courteous and kind to all but gave no indication which she preferred.
People began to talk, and the king decided this casual approach was unseemly because it implied the heroes were afraid to openly express their intentions. It was inappropriate for them to decide who deserved Aminata’s hand in this cowardly manner. The king consulted his djeli, and they devised a contest for Aminata’s hand. The winner would prove he is the greatest warrior of the three and a worthy match.
The famous hunter, Dosoke Zan, was rumored to have supernatural powers and had never lost a fight. The djeli decided that the warrior who was able to capture Zan’s gun would be able to wed Aminata. The warriors each consulted a different morike for guidance. The morike Bakaridjan saw explained that Zan was under the protection of a powerful djinn, and he couldn’t be killed. To even the odds, Bakaridjan could obtain magical protection by committing an act of charity. He was told to give three white Kola nuts to a light-skinned boy. By performing this ceremonial deed, Bakaridjan would also become invulnerable, an equal match for Zan. One of the other warriors was told by a different morike that he could preserve his own life by giving three red Kola nuts to a dark-skinned boy. The third suitor was told he could save himself by cooking goat meat and feeding it to a young, black-skinned boy.
Nonetheless, the chief djinn, having heard of the contest, appeared before Zan and granted him the ability to change his appearance. Zan disguised himself as a light-skinned boy and walked by Bakaridjan’s home. Bakaridjan then gave him the Kola nuts as instructed by the morike. Zan repeated this trick with the other two heroes. In doing this, Zan had secretly robbed the heroes of magical protection in their upcoming fight.
The chief djinn then had Zan take three eggs and place them by a termite mound in order to predict the outcome of the contest. Each egg represented one of his challengers. If the eggs remained unbroken on the following day, then Zan would be victorious. But, if even one shell was damaged in any way, then one of the heroes had the power to defeat Zan, and he should avoid fighting any of them. Zan left the three eggs as instructed and returned the next day to discover that one of the eggshells was cracked. If he fought, he would die, but to avoid a fight meant ultimate humiliation for a Bambara warrior. Showing fear would mean dishonor, so Zan prepared to fight.
On the day of the battle, Bakaridjan was the first to challenge Zan. Zan agreed to the challenge, but before the battle could commence, he revealed his trickery and declared that Bakaridjan would have no protection in the fight. At hearing this, Bakaridjan hesitated. Without magical protection, Bakaridjan knew the outcome of the battle against the death-less Zan. Bakaridjan would surely lose his own life. Seeing Bakaridjan’s hesitation, Zan declared he could not fight his panicked foe. Bakaridjan had no choice but to return home.
The second hero reacted in the same way to Zan’s revelation and returned to the city in shame. The third hero, Bamana, upon hearing Zan’s treachery replied that he also had spirit powers and knew of the cracked egg. Bamana revealed he was, in fact, the one who cracked the egg. He urged Zan to save himself and surrender. However, Zan refused. The two heroes fought and Bamana won, bringing Zan back to the king.
Bamana’s victory cemented him as Segu’s champion and won him the hand of Aminata. Bakaridjan, on the other hand, was living in disgrace. Mocked by the citizens of Segu, he rarely left his home. Even King Da Monzon no longer viewed Bakaridjan as a threat and lost interest in killing him.
Bakaridjan and the Cattle of Samaniana
Cattle are an integral part of the economy for many of the cultures of central Africa.
The only people who expressed compassion for Bakaridjan were the storytellers, the king’s djeli. They came up with a plan to restore his honor. They told him to go to a neighboring city called Samaniana, that was rich in cattle, and capture a fat, healthy cow as an offering to the king. As a warrior society, the Bambara often engaged in acts of aggression against neighboring communities to prove their might. The djeli’s request would give Bakaridjan a chance to regain his warrior status.
No one could refuse the requests of the Djeli, so Bakaridjan agreed. Unfortunately, a man overheard the djeli’s request and ran off to warn King Bassi of Samaniana. When Bakaridjan, his son, Simbalan, and one of his servants arrived at the city, they found the fields empty, and the gates closed. The trio waited 40 days, but King Bassi kept the city gates locked. Unable to carry out the djeli’s plan, a humiliated Bakaridjan headed home under the cloak of night.
It’s at this point that Bakaridjan’s servant came up with a plan to enter the city under the pretense of joining the king's service. While there, he told the King that Bakaridjan had been killed in battle. Bakaridjan and his group of warriors camped outside the city in wait. After some time, King Bassi reopened the gates. Assuming the cattle would be safe with Bakaridjan dead, he allowed them to roam free in the fields.
When the cattle were finally released, however, Bakaridjan didn't take the opportunity to just steal the cows and leave. He came across a servant tending to the cattle and told him to tell his master to send out his best warriors. In accordance with the Bambara code of chivalry, Bakaridjan would fight for the cattle. The servant, not believing it to be Bakaridjan, challenged the hero. Though Bakaridjan, as a free man, initially declined fighting someone born into servitude the man insisted. Bakaridjan allowed him the first attack, and the man shot three bullets but didn’t injure Bakaridjan.
Upon hearing the gunshots, King Bassi’s warriors ran out to the fields. When they realized it was Bakaridjan and his group of warriors, many tried to retreat. In the end, Bakaridjan killed many warriors and took many more prisoner. He drove them along with the cattle back to Segu where he shared the spoils of victory with the king, djeli, and citizens of the capital.
Bakaridjan’s Boast
Bakaridjan was once again hailed as a great hero. King Da Monzon worried this newfound celebrity would give Bakaridjan the power to overthrow his rule. The king began plotting against Bakaridjan again and sent spies to watch him. One day, while sharing a drink with his fellow warriors, the king's spies heard Bakaridjan boast about his strength. He told his companions that he was stronger than the city of Segu itself. The spies reported the boast, and the king reasoned that Bakaridjan had committed treason by implying that he was greater than the king.
Still, King Da Monzon feared the people would not support him if he publicly accused Bakaridjan. So, he decided to kill Bakaridjan in a surprise attack. The king would invite him to a private feast in the royal chamber. To reach the royal chamber, however, Bakaridjan would have to pass through six anterooms. In each room, Da Monzon would station warriors with orders to shoot Bakaridjan as he tried to exit the feast.
The king was so pleased with his plan he told his favorite wife. Upon hearing this, she told her slave, and the slave, in turn, told Bakaridjan’s son, Simbalan, because he had always been kind to her. Simbalan dreamt of being an even greater hero than his father and decided to handle the problem on his own.
Bakaridjan arrived at the palace unarmed. After he had consumed a lot of food and wine, the king pulled out his gun and confronted a tipsy Bakaridjan about his boasting. He accused Bakaridjan of being disloyal. It was then that Bakaridjan realized he had fallen into a trap. He couldn’t deny the boast, but if he admitted to it, he would surely be killed. When Bakaridjan hesitated, Da Monzon threatened to shoot Bakaridjan unless he admitted, once and for all, that he was not a true hero. Bakaridjan would not lie. So, he prepared himself for death.
At that moment, Simbalan, who had snuck into the palace, barged into the royal chamber and pointed a gun at the king. He reminded the king that Bakaridjan was the greatest hero Segu had ever known. Simbalan then told his father that Da Monzon owed his successful reign to him. At hearing this, Bakaridjan felt no fear. He not only repeated his boast to the king; He added that he could lift all of Segu with just his little finger. Simbalan’s actions allowed Bakaridjan to keep his honor and his status as a hero.
Da Monzon, for his part, recognized he had been beaten. He lowered his gun and reassured Simbalan that it had all been a misunderstanding. Da Monzon told the father and son to go home, as the hour had grown late. All the same, Simbalan forced the king to escort them through the planned ambush to safety.
From then on out, Bakaridjan’s hero status was never questioned again. Although Da Monzon still feared Bakaridjan, he gave up any attempt to harm him because Da Monzon knew Simbalan would avenge his father. As such, Bakaridjan was able to live the remainder of his life in honor, fighting on behalf of Segu and his kingdom, as its greatest hero.
Commentary
Bakaridjan Kone’s actions teach us a lot about the Bambara of the day. Despite being a model Bambara warrior, Bakaridjan does not live an idyllic life. As with most hero stories, he is marked for greatness at an early age, but the prophecy also puts him in danger. Bakaridjan suffers a great deal due to King Da Monzon’s insecurities. Bakaridjan’s natural ability to lead and draw followers is a gift, but it also makes him a threat to the ruling class. These elements point to greater class tensions in Bambara culture between the nobles and lower class, as well as the senior establishment and younger generations.
As a hero figure, Bakaridjan is not invincible, and his strength isn't a result of divine intervention. He benefits from supernatural gifts and magical protection, but he is also clever, skilled, and resourceful. Others follow him because of his virtuous heart and a desire to serve. His humble beginnings and nature suggest such gifts can grow in anyone. Moreover, despite his best efforts to live a good life, Bakaridjan also makes mistakes and experiences fear and shame. These attributes make him a hero that the average person can identify with.
Finally, as a hero epic that spans Bakaridjan’s transition from childhood to adulthood, many of the steps in Campbell’s Hero Journey are observable. Bakaridjan leaves the ordinary world for the world of adventure and is transformed in the process. Still, the epic ends in an unconventional way, with Simbalan saving his father, rather than the hero saving himself once again. Perhaps, this is meant to reflect another aspect of Bakaridjan’s great legacy: he has raised a brave and loyal son who will also grow up to be a great warrior and defender of Segu someday. Together, the father and son will continue to fight with honor and give their best to Segu, securing Bakaridjan’s status for generations to come.
