Griots
Definition
West African storytellers who perpetuate the oral tradition and history of a village or family.
Analogy
Think of griots as living, breathing libraries. Just like how libraries store books filled with knowledge and stories, griots memorize and share their community's history, culture, and traditions through storytelling.
Related terms
Bard: A poet, traditionally one reciting epics and associated with a particular oral tradition.
Epic of Sundiata: An epic poem of the Malinke people that tells the story of the hero Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire. This tale is often told by griots.
Mande People: A large ethnic group in West Africa who have a caste-based society where griots are an important part.
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