1) Balla Fesseke, son of Gnankouman Doua, first appears on page 17. He is the inheritor of the griot position to the protagonist Sundiata; his grandfather and father having filled the role to the previous generations of kings in lineal descent to Sundiata (17).
2) Though it is still early in the epic's development Fesseke has already begun to demonstrate, with heroic devotion, a fulfillment of his role as griot to the prince Sundiata, unveiling a character of principled discipline that embraces his responsibilities. When Sundiata requests an iron rod it is Fesseke that quickly obliges, speaking prophetically in a manner suited to a griot when asked by the smith if Sundiata's time has come: "[t]oday is a day like any other, but it will see what no other day has seen" (20). Subsequently, upon each of Sundiata's supernatural feats of turning the iron rod into a bow and stepping the length of a giant's pace, Fesseke records the moments in song (21). By versifying the accomplishments of the leader he has pledged himself to, and being instrumental in carrying out his commands, he has displayed the characteristics of an effective griot. That his fidelity was begun during the time of Sundiata's lame disfavor adds a heroic honesty to his service.
3) Bella Fesseke reminds me of Lakshmana from the Ramayana. When compared, they share a childhood kinship with their centrally heroic protagonists. Additionally, they are royal characters that are cast out of a kingdom and must continue in their leader's service until fortune allots their return.
4) In the Preface, D. T. Niane briefly describes the historically central role the griot played within ancient African Society: "the griot appears as one of the most important of this [pre-colonial] society, because it is he who, for want of archives , records the customs, traditions and governmental principles of kings" (xxiii). In this setting the griot operates as an embodiment of the culture's conscience, so that as a character within the work his heroic proportions are judged on more of a moral scale of the effectiveness of his confidences with Sundiata. The more physical acts which have been the basis by which we have generally applied to the central heroes of the previous works do not apply as readily for Fesseke. It is as an advisor and intellectual compass that the developement of his heroism will (probably?) take place, even-though his devotion, reminiscent of Enkidu, is already evident. In this way he is not the classic hero wrought from the mold of Gilgamesh, Ramayana and Ulysses. If we assess his heroism it will have to be in terms of heroic support along the lines of Enkidu, Lakshmana and Athena.
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2 comments:
I agree with you that Bella Fesseke is devout to his mission as a griot to Sundiata and is therefore "an effective griot".Also we have mentioned that a desirable trait in those that surround our main heroes is to be loyal.However, being that Fesseke's main function is spiritual guidance and protection,("a guardian angel" p. 24) he reminds me more of Vasishtha. He, like Vasishtha, (whose task was to know about the past, the order of the Gods and their functions) was assigned to serve royalty as a guide and advisor on proper behavior and as keeper of historic information. A couple of things I beg to differ on though is that Fesseke was not royalty like Lakshmana because Lakshmana was the son of the king and Balla Fesseke was the son of the griot of the king. Also, Fesseke was taken away from Sundiata and sent to be the head of "an embassy to the powerful king of Sosso" (27) by Dankaran Touman, Sundiata's older half bother. He was not "cast out of a kingdom". It was more like a "reassignment" by the usurper king, Dankaran Touman and the council.
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