Product Description

Griots, a uniquely African profession, fulfill a variety of roles as genealogists, historians, spokespersons, diplomats, musicians, teachers, praise singers, and advisors. Telling the story of these remarkable wordsmiths and performers, Thomas A. Hale addresses the nature of their verbal and musical art, the role of female griots, or griottes, how griots and griottes fit into their societies, and what their future might be in Africa and the rest of the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1009149 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Review

Hale (Pennsylvania State Univ.), already well known for his other publications on the griot (masculine) and griotte (feminine), provides here an encyclopedic introduction to and overview of this ubiquitous and important West African figure. His text starts with the obscure and debated etymology of the word and a definition of this role in terms of traditional functions, which include poet, praise-singer, oral historian, and ritual figure, to name only some regular activities. He then moves on to the possible origin of the griot in the dim past of the region's complicated history. Subsequent chapters consider the making of a griot and the complicated social status of these individuals, i.e. both admired and debased, in the numerous societies in which they appear. Other sections, on the significance of female griottes and the spread of this African cultural symbol to other parts of the world, are less didactic and as such provide fresher reading. Taken together with Paul Stoller's more interpretive work The Cinematic Griot (CH, Jan'93), Hale's study is a valuable addition to the literature on both African societies and the African Diaspora. Upper -- division undergraduates and above.W. Arens, SUNY at Stony Brook 1999oct CHOICE.

Review

"Hale's magnum opus is an invaluable reference for scholars in religious studies, history, music, anthropology, linguistics, and literature." -- Religious Studies Review

"[Puts] the study of West African oral tradition on a higher level." -- International Journal of African Historical Studies

"[An] encyclopedic introduction to and overview of this ubiquitous and important West African figure.... [A] valuable addition to the literature on both African societies and the African Diaspora." -- Choice

"[Reveals] griots to be much more complex and multifaceted social agents than previously understood." -- African Arts

About the Author

Thomas A. Hale is Liberal Arts Professor of African, French, and Comparative Literature at The Pennsylvania State University. He is editor of The Epic of Askia Mohammed (IUP, 1996) and co-editor (with John William Johnson and Stephen Belcher) of Oral Epics from Africa (IUP, 1997).

Customer Reviews

The Genius of Music & Stories
"Hale explains the importance and genius of the music and stories told by these unique community leaders in Africa."