Within Mali Folklore
How Griots Keep Mali's Past Alive
Griots keep Mali's oral traditions alive through music, praise, genealogy and public memory rather than fixed written texts.
On this page
- What griots do in Mande society
- Words, music and social authority
- Old performance in modern settings
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Introduction
In Mali, stories do not live only in books. They live in voices, songs, performances and memories carried from one generation to the next. At the centre of this tradition stand the griots—known in many Mande-speaking communities as jeliw—hereditary specialists whose task is to preserve history, genealogy, praise poetry, moral teaching and collective memory through spoken and musical performance. Rather than treating words as fixed texts, griots treat them as living forces that gain meaning when performed before an audience. Through them, many of Mali’s most important legends, including the epic of Sundiata, have survived for centuries without depending on written records.[metmuseum.org]metmuseum.orgsahel sunjata stories songsThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtHow Griots Tell Legendary Epics Through Stories and…20 Apr 2020 — They are told by people known as griot…
For readers interested in Malian folklore, griots are important not simply because they tell stories. They are one of the main mechanisms through which folklore remains alive. The tradition shows how memory, music and social responsibility can preserve a culture’s past while constantly adapting it to the present.[SciELO]scielo.org.zaIt is necessary to say a few words about the Manden institute of griots. Jeli refers to a griot, a…
What griots do in Mande society
A griot is often described as a storyteller, musician or oral historian, but those labels only capture part of the role. In Mande society, griots traditionally serve as keepers of family histories, genealogists, praise singers, advisers and public speakers. Their profession is hereditary, with knowledge passed through specialist families over generations. Training involves learning long genealogies, historical narratives, performance techniques and the social rules governing when and how particular stories should be told.[wikipedia.org]WikipediaOral history in modern MaliOral history in modern Mali
What makes the role distinctive is that griots preserve memory through performance rather than through archives. A family seeking to remember its ancestors, a community celebrating a marriage, or a leader wishing to emphasise historical legitimacy may call upon a griot to recount relevant histories and lineages. In this way, spoken tradition functions as a social record.[criticalmuslim.com]criticalmuslim.comCritical MuslimGriotsGriots hold the memory and history of a community. They are the storytellers, musicians and singers of songs of prai…
This role is particularly important in the folklore of Mali because many famous narratives have survived through oral transmission. The story of Sundiata Keita, founder of the medieval Mali Empire, is the best-known example. Different performances may vary in detail, but griots have carried the core narrative across centuries and across much of the Mande-speaking world. Scholars have noted that, despite the flexibility of oral performance, major elements of the epic show remarkable continuity over a large geographical area.[metmuseum.org]metmuseum.orgsahel sunjata stories songsThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtHow Griots Tell Legendary Epics Through Stories and…20 Apr 2020 — They are told by people known as griot…
Words, music and social authority
To understand why griots matter in folklore, it helps to understand how words are viewed within Mande cultural traditions. Griots are not merely repeaters of information. They are often regarded as masters of speech whose skill gives words social and sometimes symbolic power. Research on Mande oral traditions describes griots as “masters of words”, specialists whose authority comes from their command of language, memory and performance.[SciELO]scielo.org.zaIt is necessary to say a few words about the Manden institute of griots. Jeli refers to a griot, a…
Music is central to this authority. A griot’s performance commonly combines speech, song and instrumental accompaniment. Instruments such as the kora, balafon and ngoni are closely associated with griot traditions, helping transform historical memory into a public event rather than a simple recitation. The audience does not merely receive information; it experiences history through rhythm, melody and praise poetry.[seckoukeita.com]seckoukeita.comSeckou KeitaMy Culture | Seckou KeitaA griot is a West African storyteller, singer, musician, and oral historian. · Griots originated in…
Traditional ideas about the power of speech further strengthen this role. Some Mande traditions connect spoken words with a force often described by scholars as nyama, a concept associated with spiritual and social energy. Within this framework, skilled verbal artists are thought to handle language with particular care because words can influence relationships, reputation and communal harmony. Whether understood literally, symbolically or culturally, the idea reflects a widespread belief that speech has consequences and that language carries responsibilities.[SciELO]scielo.org.zaIt is necessary to say a few words about the Manden institute of griots. Jeli refers to a griot, a…
As a result, griots have historically occupied positions that blend artistry and authority. They praise, advise, criticise indirectly, mediate disputes and remind communities of obligations rooted in memory and tradition. Their influence comes not from political office but from mastery of public speech.[Wikipedia]WikipediaMay 4, 2026 — The griot is a repository of oral tradition and is often seen as a leader due to their position as an advisor to members of…
Why folklore survives through performance
Many readers expect folklore to exist in books, manuscripts or collected archives. Mali’s traditions demonstrate a different model. Here, preservation often depends on repeated performance. Every telling of an epic, praise poem or historical narrative becomes an act of cultural renewal. UNESCO identifies oral traditions as a crucial means through which communities transmit knowledge, values and collective memory, and Mali provides one of the clearest examples of that principle in practice.[Intangible Cultural Heritage]ich.unesco.orgIntangible Cultural HeritageOral traditions and expressions including language as a…Oral traditions and expressions are used to pass o…
This performance-based system creates both continuity and change. A griot may preserve a story’s essential structure while adapting details for a contemporary audience. References to modern events, local concerns or new social realities can enter the performance without destroying its connection to the past. Folklore therefore remains relevant rather than frozen.[The Metropolitan Museum of Art]metmuseum.orgsahel sunjata stories songsThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtHow Griots Tell Legendary Epics Through Stories and…20 Apr 2020 — They are told by people known as griot…
The result is a living tradition in which historical memory, legend and social commentary often overlap. A performance about a famous ruler may simultaneously celebrate ancestry, reinforce community identity and comment on present-day leadership. The story survives because it continues to perform useful social work.[metmuseum.org]metmuseum.orgsahel sunjata stories songsThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtHow Griots Tell Legendary Epics Through Stories and…20 Apr 2020 — They are told by people known as griot…
Old performance in modern settings
The role of the griot has changed significantly during the modern era, but it has not disappeared. Many contemporary Malian musicians come from griot families and continue to draw on traditional repertoires while performing in concert halls, recording studios and international festivals. Artists associated with famous griot lineages have helped bring elements of Mande oral tradition to global audiences through recordings and collaborations with jazz, blues and other musical styles.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOral history in modern MaliOral history in modern Mali
Modernisation has also created tensions. Some scholars argue that the movement of griot performance into commercial entertainment risks weakening older social functions such as genealogy, mediation and historical preservation. Others see adaptation as a sign of vitality, allowing the tradition to survive in changing political and economic conditions.[researchgate.net]researchgate.netWest African Griots as Record Keepers and Historians of Past31 May 2024 — The powerful traditional voices of griots are being…
Digital media has introduced another stage in this evolution. Performances that once existed only in local settings can now circulate through recordings, streaming services and social media. This widens audiences but also changes the relationship between performer, community and memory. The spoken word remains central, yet it now travels far beyond the village, court or family gathering where many of these traditions developed.[news.unitedcultures.org]news.unitedcultures.orgWest African Griots Embrace Digital Platforms to Preserve Oral…Mar 30, 2026 — Traditional griots across Mali, Senegal, and Guinea are…
Why griots remain central to Mali’s folklore
Many countries have legendary heroes, sacred places and famous tales. Mali’s folklore is distinctive because so much of it has been sustained by a professional tradition devoted to remembering and performing the past. Griots are not simply transmitters of stories; they are the mechanism that allows stories to endure.
Their importance lies in the belief that memory is a social responsibility. Through music, praise, genealogy and storytelling, griots transform history into a living conversation between generations. In a folklore tradition where spoken performance often matters as much as narrative content, the power of the word is not merely literary. It is cultural, social and communal. Through the work of griots, Mali’s past continues to be heard rather than simply read.[unesco.org]ich.unesco.orgIntangible Cultural HeritageOral traditions and expressions including language as a…Oral traditions and expressions are used to pass o…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: makingfreedomhistory.org
Title: Memory and Knowledge: The Story of Sundiata Keita The Oral Epic Tradition
Link:https://makingfreedomhistory.org/unit/memory-and-knowledge-the-story-of-sundiata-keita/
Source snippet
As the Mande charter set out, Sundiata's story was passed down orally by generations of bards also known as djeli/jeli or griots...
2.
Source: ich.unesco.org
Link:https://ich.unesco.org/en/oral-traditions-and-expressions-00053
Source snippet
Intangible Cultural HeritageOral traditions and expressions including language as a...Oral traditions and expressions are used to pass o...
3.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Oral history in modern Mali
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_history_in_modern_Mali
4.
Source: leoafricainstitute.org
Title: griots were the primary keepers of oral tradition
Link:https://leoafricainstitute.org/news/griots-were-the-primary-keepers-of-oral-tradition-
Source snippet
Keepers of Memory, Shapers of History: Who are the Griots?7 Aug 2025 — Griots were the primary keepers of oral tradition in West African...
5.
Source: wom-journal.org
Link:https://wom-journal.org/wom/article/download/2300/1979?inline=1
Source snippet
Introduction: Singing Storytellers and the Sunjata ProjectThe creation of a new performance of “The Sunjata Story” introduced local audie...
6.
Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griot
Source snippet
May 4, 2026 — The griot is a repository of oral tradition and is often seen as a leader due to their position as an advisor to members of...
Published: May 4, 2026
7.
Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381011659_Negotiating_the_Creative_Space_between_Oral_and_Written_Tradition_West_African_Griots_as_Record_Keepers_and_Historians_of_Past
Source snippet
West African Griots as Record Keepers and Historians of Past31 May 2024 — The powerful traditional voices of griots are being...
Published: May 2024
8.
Source: bpb-ap-se2.wpmucdn.com
Title: The Griots of West Africa: Agents of Social Change
Link:https://bpb-ap-se2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.unimelb.edu.au/dist/6/184/files/2017/02/14_Counsel-uth1t3.pdf
Source snippet
CDNThe cultural role and social function of the griot has, however, undergone a significant transformation this century, particularly in...
9.
Source: news.unitedcultures.org
Link:https://news.unitedcultures.org/article/?id=338
Source snippet
West African Griots Embrace Digital Platforms to Preserve Oral...Mar 30, 2026 — Traditional griots across Mali, Senegal, and Guinea are...
10.
Source: researchgate.net
Title: Return of the Griot?
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/403243220_Return_of_the_Griot
Source snippet
Request PDFInitially used by French travelers to West Africa who thought they were using a local term, it refers to hereditary praise s...
11.
Source: researchgate.net
Title: Scrofulous Sogolon
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349466109Scrofulous_Sogolon-_Scanning_the_Sunjata_Epic
Source snippet
Scanning the Sunjata EpicTo remedy this deficiency, we have called on Mande oral tradition that preserves the knowledge of the region as...
12.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Kouroukan Fouga
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kouroukan_Fouga
Source snippet
Kouroukan FougaAccording to oral tradition of the jelis of Mali and Guinea, the Kouroukan Fouga established the federation of Mandinka...
13.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Mandé peoples
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mand%C3%A9_peoples
Source snippet
Mandé peoplesMandé-speaking peoples inhabit various environments, from coastal rainforests to the sparse Sahel, and have a wide range...
14.
Source: unesdoc.unesco.org
Link:https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark%3A/48223/pf0000068742
Source snippet
Its prime function is to accompany celebrations and to put across a philosophy. Nothing else! Westerners relate...Read more...
15.
Source: ich.unesco.org
Title: 28118 EN.doc
Link:https://ich.unesco.org/doc/src/28118-EN.doc
Source snippet
unesco.orgICH-02-2009-EN-ver-03This is due to the fact that Malian culture is predominantly an oral one. The depositaries of the Manden C...
16.
Source: wom-journal.org
Link:https://wom-journal.org/wom/article/view/2300/1979
Source snippet
Introduction: Singing Storytellers and the Sunjata Projectby M Ostashewski · 2025 — The creation of a new performance of “The Sunjata Sto...
17.
Source: metmuseum.org
Title: sahel sunjata stories songs
Link:https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/sahel-sunjata-stories-songs
Source snippet
The Metropolitan Museum of ArtHow Griots Tell Legendary Epics Through Stories and...20 Apr 2020 — They are told by people known as griot...
18.
Source: scielo.org.za
Link:https://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S0041-476X2023000300002&script=sci_arttext
Source snippet
It is necessary to say a few words about the Manden institute of griots. Jeli refers to a griot, a...
19.
Source: seckoukeita.com
Link:https://www.seckoukeita.com/my-culture
Source snippet
Seckou KeitaMy Culture | Seckou KeitaA griot is a West African storyteller, singer, musician, and oral historian. · Griots originated in...
20.
Source: criticalmuslim.com
Link:https://criticalmuslim.com/explore/issues/arabs-are-alive/griots
Source snippet
Critical MuslimGriotsGriots hold the memory and history of a community. They are the storytellers, musicians and singers of songs of prai...
21.
Source: scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl
Title: Sunjata is remarkable stable over a large area and a longer
Link:https://scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl/access/item%253A2952645/download
Source snippet
Scholarly PublicationsBeyond the Mali Empire—A New Paradigm for the Sunjata Epicby J Jansen · Cited by 17 — In contrast to what is genera...
22.
Source: metmuseum.org
Link:https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/sahel-art-empire-sahara/inside-the-exhibition
Source snippet
Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the SaharaDogon oral traditions evoke an original homeland in the center of the Mali empire as th...
Additional References
23.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/953280683280342/posts/962725842335826/
24.
Source: africajournal.ru
Title: adaptation of the griot caste in the post colonial society of west africa
Link:https://africajournal.ru/en/2024/10/10/adaptation-of-the-griot-caste-in-the-post-colonial-society-of-west-africa/
Source snippet
Adaptation of the Griot Caste in the Post-Colonial Society...10 Oct 2024 — The Griots assumed the role of the “voice” of the state, succ...
25.
Source: ouci.dntb.gov.ua
Title: dntb.gov.ua The ‘official’ legend of Sundiata, founder of the Mali empire
Link:https://ouci.dntb.gov.ua/en/works/4YZEGzql/
Source snippet
'official' legend of Sundiata, founder of the Mali empireAbstract Introduction to, analysis of and text of an oral narrative of Sunjata b...
26.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/ChrysalisRecs/posts/tracing-the-roots-of-the-griot-tradition-an-oral-art-form-that-connects-generati/1359795746153868/
Source snippet
They play a vital role in preserving the cultural heritage of West Africa through...Read more...
27.
Source: jstor.org
Link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/27391540
Source snippet
entral role in West Africa's (oral) literary and musical traditions, and is.Read more...
28.
Source: aclasses.org
Title: The New Griot: How Modern Storytellers, Poets
Link:https://aclasses.org/the-new-griot/
Source snippet
Traditionally, griots have been the keepers of West Africa's oral history, serving as storytellers, poets, musicians, and histori...
29.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/270764112473385/posts/568978102651983/
Source snippet
much of the history of West Africa – the births, deaths...Read more...
30.
Source: denkyema.com
Title: constitutionalism in african oral tradition
Link:https://www.denkyema.com/article/constitutionalism-in-african-oral-tradition
Source snippet
; from the Mandé...The Mandé Charter, or Kouroukan-Fouga Charter, is a set of ancestral values and rules that attest to the very serious...
31.
Source: nofi.media
Link:https://www.nofi.media/en/2025/07/the-mande-charter-between-myth-and/96408
Source snippet
The Mande Charter: between myth and matrix15 Jul 2025 — In 2009, when UNESCO listed the Mande Charter as world heritage, it chose to reco...
32.
Source: studyguides.com
Title: Griot (Culture)
Link:https://studyguides.com/study-methods/overview/cmk5dqk1x42m801d59d3o0r9f
Source snippet
OverviewFeb 4, 2026 — Griots fulfill multiple roles in their communities, functioning as historians, educators, and entertainers. They pr...
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