Synopses & Reviews
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.
Review
"Thomas A. Hale's clearly written, informative work is a comprehensive historical and contemporary account of the griot phenomenon, which originated in West Africa....It is, in its entirety, of benefit to a variety of researchers from fields as diverse as history, music, anthropology and sociology, linguistics and literature." --Karen Ferreira-Meyers, University of Swaziland, African Studies Quarterly E-Jrnl, Vol. 11.2-3 Spring 2010
Review
"[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 Indiana University Press Indiana University Press
Review
"[Reveals] griots to be much more complex and multifaceted social agents than previously understood." --African Arts
Review
"[Puts] the study of West African oral tradition on a higher level." --International Journal of African Historical Studies
Review
"Hale's magnum opus is an invaluable reference for scholars in religious studies, history, music, anthropology, linguistics, and literature." --Religious Studies Review
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).
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. A Job Description for Griots
2. The Origin of Griots
3. The Verbal Art of Griots
4. Music across the Griot World
5. The Making of a Griot
6. Would You Want Your Daughter to Marry One?
7. Griottes: Unrecognized Female Voices
8. From the Courtyards of the Nobility to a Global Audience
9. The Value of Words
10. New Millennium Griots
Appendices
Selected Bibliography
Index