Definition

Noun: 1. A West African oral historian, storyteller, and musician: A griot is a member of a hereditary class who serves as a repository of oral tradition, responsible for preserving and recounting the history, genealogies, stories, and cultural knowledge of a family, clan, or village through spoken word, poetry, and song.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The griot recited the epic poem that traced the king's lineage back seven centuries.
  • In many West African cultures, a griot is both an entertainer and a living historical archive.
  • We listened intently as the griot sang about the great battles of our ancestors.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural Role: The term specifically denotes a formal, often hereditary, social role within Mandé, Fulani, Hausa, and other West African societies. It is not a general synonym for "storyteller" but implies a specific cultural function.
• As a Keeper of Tradition: A griot's duty is to tradition, meaning they actively work to keep it alive and pass it on accurately to future generations.

Variants and Related Words

• Griotte (noun): The feminine form, referring to a female griot.
• Jali or Jeli (noun): Terms used in Manding languages (e.g., Mandinka, Bambara) for a griot.
• Oral historian (noun phrase): A more general, descriptive term for someone who preserves history through spoken accounts.

Synonyms

• Bard
• Minstrel
• Storyteller
• Chronicler
• Praise singer

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Living library: This phrase is often used metaphorically to describe the role of a griot, emphasizing their function as a custodian of collective memory.
  • The elder was considered a living library, much like a traditional griot.

Noun

1. a storyteller in West Africa; perpetuates the oral traditions of a family or village