![]() ![]() Seckou Keïta, August 2019, photograph by Andy Morgan, via Rhythm Passport Without its continued practice by the jaliw, a great amount of West African history would be lost to us today. This method of recording history is known as the oral tradition. ![]() Jaliw also keep the genealogies of important families, memorizing them and passing them on to future generations by word of mouth. ![]() Yet a jali’s role is not limited to playing music and reciting epic tales and proverbs. Jaliw are most known as storytellers and musicians, playing instruments such as the 21-stringed kora in an official capacity. Sundiata and the Role of Griots in West African Culture Griots in Mali with kora, photograph by Bruno Morandi, via Encyclopedia Britannicaīefore we delve into the story of Sundiata itself, we should quickly look at the roles that griots (called jaliw in the local Mandé languages) play in West African societies. ![]()
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