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Kunta kinte


Kunta Kinte (c. 1750 – c. 1822; /ˈkuːntɑː ˈkɪnteɪ/ KOON-tah KIN-tay) is a character in the 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley. According to Haley, Kunta Kinte was based on one of his ancestors: a Gambian man who was born in 1750, enslaved and taken to America and who died in 1822. Haley said that his account of Kunta's life in Roots is a mixture of fact and fiction, to an unknown extent.[1]
Kunta Kinte
Kunta Kinte LeVar.jpg
LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte in the TV miniseries Roots
Bornc. 1750
Juffure, The Gambia
Diedc. 1822 (aged c. 71–77)
Spotsylvania County, Virginia
FamilyOmoro (father)
Binta (mother)
Belle (wife)
Kizzy (daughter)
George (grandson)
Tom (great-grandson)

Kunta Kinte's life story also figured in two US-made television series based on the book: the original 1977 TV miniseries Roots,[2] and a 2016 remake of the same name. In the original miniseries, the character was portrayed as a teenager by LeVar Burton and as an adult by John Amos. In the 2016 miniseries, he is portrayed by Malachi Kirby.[3] Burton reprised his role in the TV movie Roots: The Gift, a fictional tale originally broadcast during the 1988 Christmas season.

In popular cultureEdit

Kunta Kinte has inspired a reggae riddim of the same name. This started off life as a track called Beware Of Your Enemies released from Jamaicas Channel One. A dub version, put out in 1976 by Channel One house band The Revolutionaries became a sound system anthem for many years on dubplate, and inspired a UK version produced by Mad Professor in 1981. It has also inspired jungle covers.[10]

There is an annual Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival held in Maryland.[11]

NFL player Colin Kaepernick wore a tshirt with "Kunta Kinte" emblazoned on it to his controversial NFL tryout, which CNN interpreted as "Kaepernick appeared to use the reference to make a statement: He will not change who he is to appease the powers that be."[12]

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