Chapters 71-80 Summary

When the gardener passes away, the other slaves dig him a grave, and Kunta feels remorseful that since Kizzy was born he hadn't spent as much time with the gardener as he used to. The Master declares a half day off for the gardener's funeral, and the slaves tell each other stories about long-time house-cooks or wet nurses being given a big send-off and buried in the white graveyards, making Kunta reflect bitterly on what a reward that was for a lifetime of service. They take the gardener in a procession to the slave graveyard, along with Master Waller, singing hymns along the way, and Kunta thinks of the African funeral traditions in which dancing and happiness accompanied wailing and sorrow, as they believed the deceased had gone to be with Allah.

For Kizzy's second birthday, Kunta carves a Mandinka doll...