Knowra Griots Griots Griots are hereditary or professional oral historians, musicians, and praise-singers in parts of West Africa. They preserve genealogies and histories through performance, often accompanying themselves on instruments.
Oral tradition : The transmission of knowledge, history, and literature through spoken performance rather than written texts. Griots preserve and transmit histories through repeated speech, song, and performance.
Mande peoples : A group of related peoples of West Africa connected by Mandé languages and diverse historical traditions. Many well-documented griot traditions belong to Mandé-speaking societies.
Balla Fasséké : A legendary Mandé bard associated with Sundiata Keita and the beginnings of the Keita dynasty’s griot tradition. His story connects griot authority to the founding narrative of the Mali Empire.
Praise-singing : A performed form of praise that names a person’s lineage, qualities, and remembered achievements. Griots use praise-singing to honor individuals and situate them within social memory.
Written history : The reconstruction and interpretation of the past through written documents and records. Griot histories are performed and transmitted orally, though they can also be documented in writing.
Jeliya : The Mandé tradition and social practice of professional praise-singing, music-making, and historical narration. This name describes the specialist practice associated with Mandé griots.
Mali Empire : A powerful West African empire that flourished from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century. Its rulers and founding history feature prominently in Mandé historical performance.
Kouyaté family : A prominent Mandé jeli lineage associated with generations of musicians and oral historians. The family illustrates how musical and historical expertise can pass through hereditary lineages.
Wedding music : Music performed as part of wedding ceremonies and celebrations. Griots may perform at weddings, where music and praise acknowledge families and alliances.
West African praise singer : A performer who sings praises of people or lineages in West African societies, without necessarily holding a griot’s broader historical role. Praise-singing overlaps with griot work, but the role and lineage vary across communities.
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