Roots: The Saga of an American Family Chapters 6-10 Summary

Kunta has been noticing something strange lately. Binta is moving a lot slower than usual, and her belly is getting big. We wonder what possibly could be up with that…
In less happy news, Granma Yaisa is getting sick. Although she puts on a tough face, she's basically bedridden.
One night, Kunta is woken with a start by his father. And Binta keeps moaning. What in the world is going on here?
The next morning, Omoro announces to his son that he has "'a new brother'" (6.4). Omoro seems super happy.
Still, Kunta can't help but feel depressed as his parents spend less time with him over the next week. On the eighth day, Omoro announces that his new son shall be known as Lamin.
Over the next several days, Grandma Yaisa starts getting sicker. And then it happens: Kunta hears his mother wailing near Yaisa's hut.
Kunta rushes over. The women of Juffure begin the mourning ceremony that will culminate in Grandma Yaisa's burial the next morning.

The rains have ended and the villagers are beginning to harvest the early-blooming crops. Though he's still depressed about his grandmother's death, Kunta is happy to have some real food.
Kunta spends his days running around with his fellow kids. He especially likes playing with his best bro Sitafa Silla.
Parents are pretty strict in Juffure, so Binta is constantly punishing Kunta for something. Usually it involves him doing something mean to Lamin.
Sometimes she even threatens to send him to the "toubob," who are "the hairy, red-faced, strange-looking white men whose big canoes stole people away from their homes" (7.9).

There are clouds covering the new moon tonight, which is a bad omen for the people of Juffure. We're getting the heebie-jeebies.
Quick side-note: in West Africa, it was once common to use drums to send messages from village to village, with the rhythmic pattern played mimicking the tones of speech. It's called drum talk and it's pretty amazing.
Anyway, there's been some bad news coming in on the drum talk lately, though Kunta doesn't understand how to interpret it yet
The next day, a holy man arrives in Juffure. He performs a ritual, transcends into the realm of spirits—you know, typical stuff—and once again the village is saved.

It's one year later, and the village is in the midst of its tourist season. Travelers are constantly coming in and out.
During the day, Kunta and the other kids stand out by the "traveler's tree" and greet these visitors (9.1).
At harvest-time, Kunta helps his father keep watch over his fields for the first time. He's as excited as can be.
A few nights later, Kunta notices his mother sewing something. It turns out to be his "dundiko," the ceremonial garb given to boys when they join the second kafo (9.9).

Kunta struts around Juffure, showing off his fancy news digs for the world to see. You're a star, kid.
The next morning, Omoro tells Kunta that he will be trained to herd goats by Toumani Touray and the older boys later today. And he'll also be starting school. Yikes.
The older boys razz the newbies, and Toumani tells them about the dangers of the forest. You don't just have to worry about wild animals, though—there's also the toubob and their helpers.
Although Kunta didn't know them personally, there had been a number of people from Juffure who had been snagged by the toubob in the night.
Kunta watches over the herd for the afternoon, gathers some wood as a gift for his new teacher, and returns home with his playmates. And boy is he exhausted.
The next morning is Kunta's first day of school. His teacher, Brima Cesay, is so hardcore he makes drill sergeants look like beauty pageant contestants.
Needless to say, Kunta is exhausted by the end of the day.