Griots in West African Culture
Griots are sacred storytellers in West Africa. For many years, griots have captured the most significant cultural and historical legacies to pass to future generations. Griots originated from the Mande Empire of Mali in West Africa around the 13th century. Since then, they have remained as musicians, praise singers, oral historians and storytellers of their communities. According to the tradition of West Africa, the services of griots are based on the preservation of genealogies, oral tradition and historical narratives for the people. Thus, griots have for a long time retold the history of the West Africa Empire, hence keeping the traditions and history of West Africans alive. Traditionally, griots belonged to social background. The importance and art of storytelling were passed on from the griots’ families; not every person could become a griot. Besides, griots had a role of keeping all marriages, births and deaths across generations of the village or family. They used four main instruments to tell their stories to music. These are the ngoni, the voice, the kora and the balafon. In most cases, every griot family held a single instrument, which they learned how to make and tie together. The device was passed throughout the family members for future generations.
The profession of the griot is hereditary, and for a long time, it has been part of the culture of West African communities. Traditionally, their role is to preserve oral traditions, historical narratives and genealogies of the people (Nelson 2). Praise songs are among the repertoire of the griots. Griots in the Mande culture played an essential role in the lives of communities in West Africa. They helped in preserving the history of the people, 100 decades ago, when there was no technology in the world. If griots weren’t in place, people could forget their entire lineage and history. It could be worse for communities that were not learned in reading or writing. Griots were considered as diplomats and advisors in the villages. People would call them for intervention during disputes. However, 100 decades later, this role has diminished, and the appeal of griots as entertainers has become widespread not only in West Africa but in the entire world.
Some of the high profile musicians in West Africa came from traditional griot backgrounds. For example, Mory Kante from Guinea (Sarasohn 48). Nevertheless, as time goes on and people take a break from conventional beliefs, artists from an outside lineage have made a cultural responsibility that traditionally they would not deserve. In the current world, West Africa griots are found among the Hausa, Serer, Dagomba, Fula, Songhai, Mauritanian Arabs, Mossi and other small units. Also, the griots can be affiliated to the ancient Roman, Greek and Etruscan bards, or the oral storytellers. They passed their messages to the audience with the use of tombs ad monuments.
The new meaning of modern griot is any African American, or a pure African who keeps oral history, an instrumentalist, musician or a singer. For one to become a griot, his ancestry should have griots. Before beginning a performance, many griots first perform their lineage. African continent produces a good share of aspirational pop music characterized by glossy videos of seemingly faster ladies and fast cars. However, an in-depth look at the decadent surface shows musicians across the continent who seem to be successors of the griots. Artists have taken the role of griots from different backgrounds, such as scholars, refugees, lawyers, and survivors. These artists have their ways of transmitting information and knowledge. They also have different ways of making the audience hear them.
Modern griots are available in most regions in Africa, particularly in counties at the west. Most famous musicians in Africa today see themselves as griots. They make their music using traditional compositions. Also, these modern griots are travelling griots. They move from one country to another performing on particular occasions. Their primary duty is to perform. They remain to be oral musicians and artists. Typically, they may not perform for money, but people pay for their services anyway. Today’s griots don’t just since praise songs only, their songs are also commentaries of social issues. Most of them go to musicians, media figures or into politics.
There are various similarities between rappers and griots. However, today’s tradition of griots is highly romanticized. Contemporary rappers are antithetic to the values and norms of griots. In ancient times, griots were known to be royal advisors. They would also be considered bourgeois buffer class between ordinary people and the nobles (World Affairs Council of Houston). Indeed, such societal duties are antithetic to the movement of hip hop that emerged as a grassroots of a socio-political movement of the working class that orally challenge oppressive structures in the nation. People cannot deny the links between rappers/hip hop artists and griots. Despite the element of class in the griots, people see the social role of griots similar to that of activists. Besides, all raps are not evolutionary; neither do they have to be revolutionary.
One factor that has remained constant in the riots of the culture of the Mali Empire is that oral literature is entirely about being true to oneself and telling your stories, or the stories of your community. Whether uplifting or positive, or negative and criminal, these stories should be told. They should be passed to the next generations. None of them should be left untold.
Works Cited
Nelson, Ken. “Ancient Africa for Kids: Griots and Storytellers”. Ducksters. 2018. Retrieved from https://www.ducksters.com/history/africa/griots_storytellers.php
Sarasohn, Lisa. “Glenis Redmond: Poet, Teaching Artist, Griot.” North Carolina Literary Review 28 (2019): 44-57.
World Affairs Council of Houston. (?). “Oral Traditions of Africa.” Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53cfd0e5e4b057663ea1bc61/t/57b1e0b746c3c406dd172afd/1471275383444/Oral+Traditions+of+West+Africa.pdf