In African history, what is a griot?
1 Answer
The griot was the memory of the African people. He was a story teller who related the oral history of the nations and tribes .
Explanation:
Africa before the introduction of Islam in Western Africa, had no written language. The history of the people had to be passed down from generation to generation by trained story tellers who memorized the history so it could be remembered.
The people who became the griot were chosen for their intelligence, great memories and wisdom. Not only did they preserve the true history of the people by their memories and stories they told, they also were respected for their wisdom and were valued as advisors to the leaders.
The griot were also considered spiritual leaders in the community.
With the coming of Islamic and Western civilizations the importance of the griot was reduced. Partly because with written languages the oral histories became less important. Also because of the impact of religions that differed from the traditional animistic African religions that revered ancestors and tribal history.
