Griot

Griot [ ɡʀio ] (French) referred to in parts of West Africa a professional singer, poet and instrumentalist who performs in a certain form of singing epic texts as the price singer, storyteller, teacher, or purely for entertainment. Griots contribute to that traditional knowledge is passed on through oral tradition.

Name

The origin of the word is unclear. Maybe it comes from the Portuguese gritar, " scream ". Portugal emerged during the 15th century the first on on the West African coast. Griots as a separate social class, there is under -Saharan African and Berber ethnic groups in numerous regional linguistic terms that mean the hereditary title: In the Mande languages ​​they are called Jeli ( Djeli ) or Jali (Pl. Jalolu ) on Maninka also Jeli, in the Soninke Gesere, Diare in the Tukulor Gaulo, Bambado and at the Bidhan in Mauritania Iggīw. Furthermore, they are called in the Wolof Guewel, among the Fulani Mado or Gawlo and the Hausa Marok'i.

Culture

The male griots and their female counterpart, the Griottes, are the keepers of history, oral literature and music of their people. They sing songs of praise to the praise of their patron, tell stories with historical, mythological or satirical content and entertain or teach it. To this end, they accompany themselves on instruments such as the kora harp bridge, inland spit ngoni lute or the string fiddle Goge (also gondze ). Other griots play balafon and dance, the Marok'i the Hausa sing Kalangu for little variable rhythm of the drum. In many traditional ceremonies, the presence of griots is required.

The profession that resembles medieval troubadours is mainly reserved for men who are members of certain clans. The most famous griot family is the family of the Jobarteh ( in French only Diabaté ). Other well-known beyond Africa griot clans are the Kanté that Koité, the Kouyaté and Cissokho (also written Sissoko ). Members of griot families often marry each other and so form a solid caste.

Your home is the settlement area of ​​the Mandinke peoples, ie the present states of Mali, Gambia, Guinea and Senegal. In this West African States, the griot tradition is still alive today. Many current musicians, stage actor, TV and radio presenters in Senegal come from well-known griot families.

In the tent camps of the Moors in Südmauretanien migratory griots families occur, the singers are called Iggāwen ( m. sg Iggīw ) and accompany himself on the lute tidinit. The women ( f Pl Tiggīwāten, also Tiggāwāten, Sg Tiggīwīt ) play their song ardin the harp.

List of griot artists and groups

  • Abdoulaye Diabaté (Mali)
  • Mady Diabaté Kassé (Mali)
  • Kélétigui Diabaté (Mali)
  • Mamadou Diabaté (Mali)
  • Toumani Diabaté (Mali)
  • Prince Diabate (Guinea)
  • Sona Diabate (Guinea)
  • Amadou Bansang Jobarteh (Gambia )
  • Dembo Jobarteh (Gambia )
  • Malamini Jobarteh (Gambia )
  • Alseyni Kouyaté aka Seyni (Guinea)
  • Ami Koíta (Mali)
  • Balla Kouyate (Mali)
  • Bassekou Kouyaté (Mali)
  • Djimo Kouyate (Senegal)
  • El Hadj Djeli Sory Kouyate (Guinea)
  • Habib Koité (Mali)
  • Kandia Kouyaté (Mali)
  • Kaniba Oulen Kouyaté (Mali)
  • Mah Kouyate (Mali)
  • Mamadou Kouyate (Senegal, where he founded the first Koraschule )
  • N'Faly Kouyate (Guinea)
  • Sotigui Kouyaté ( born in Mali, was from Gambia and lived in Burkina Faso and later in Europe )
  • Soriba Kouyate (Senegal, later in Europe )
  • Tata Bambo Kouyaté (Mali)
  • Ba Cissoko (Guinea)
  • Baba Sissoko (Mali)
  • Yacouba Sissoko (Mali)
  • Mory Kanté (Guinea)
  • Pape Kanoute (Senegal)
  • Lamine Konte (Senegal)
  • Sherrifo Konteh (Gambia )
  • Balla Tounkara (Mali)
  • Djelimady Tounkara (Mali)
  • Alpha Oulare (Guinea)
  • Vieux Diop (Senegal)
  • Badenya les Frères Coulibaly ( Burkina Faso)
Griot (Rapper) Berber people Wolof people Hausa people Kora (instrument) The Gambia Xalam Ghazal Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart
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