A comprehensive illustrated portrait of griots and griottes including extensive reference materials.

"Alex Haley, author of the phenomenal best-seller Roots, reconstructed his family's past with the aid of a griot, an African oral historian/musician/diplomat/advisor (among many other roles). The well-illustrated Griots and Griottes is the first comprehensive portrait of the world of this profession, starting with its discovery by the outside world in 1352 by a North African traveler up to the present. Based on over 30 years of research and travel in Africa, Griots and Griottes tells the story of these remarkable wordsmiths and performers."--Publisher's website

Kofi Piesie Da Griot and Seanathan The Griot Polidore have teamed up for this publication entitled The Modern Day Griots & Griotte: The New Generation. This publication was put together to inspire the next/new generation of writers, authors, leaders, poets, storytellers, and musicians. Also, both authors are trying to inspire a Modern Day Griot and Griotte movement from state to state and possibly from country to country. Griots and Griotte were important figures in their community for the many roles and skills they possessed. In this day and time, with the book's banns across the states and the misrepresentation of our Ancestor's contributions. We need Modern Day Griots more than ever. Kofi and Seanathan are asking If you are a teacher, professor, writer, author, musician, public speaker, news anchor, radio host, and poet, and you are about your people, please be a part of this Modern Day Griots & Griotte movement. This publication will give more insight into what a Griot & Griotte is and what a Modern-Day Griot looks like today.

Kashmir boasts a language which challenges every field of linguistics. Kashmiri is spoken by approximately 3,000,000 people. Its syntax, similar to Germanic and other verb second languages, has raised many significant issues within current generative theories proposed by Chomsky and other prominent linguists.

Askia Mohammed is the most famous leader in the history of the Songhay Empire, which reached its apogee during his reign in 1493-1528. Songhay, approximately halfway between the present-day cities of Timbuktu in Mali and Niamey in Niger, became a political force beginning in 1463, under the leadership of Sonni Ali Ber. By the time of his death in 1492, the foundation had been laid for the development under Askia Mohammed of a complex system of administration, a well-equipped army and navy, and a network of large government-owned farms. The present rendition of the epic was narrated by the griot (or jeseré) Nouhou Malio over two evenings in Saga, a small town on the Niger River, two miles downstream from Niamey. The text is a word-for-word translation from Nouhou Malio's oral performance.

In Drawing on Culture, artist and ethnomusicologist Dave Kobrenski explores traditional cultures from around the world. West Africa is the first in the series and consists of more than 30 artworks done on location while traveling through villages along the Niger River in Guinée. Through detailed field drawings accompanied by his own notes, Kobrenski provides a glimpse into the lives and culture of a people maintaining their ancient traditions, even as the modern world encroaches.

Exploring the origins, organization, subject matter, and performance contexts of singers and singing, Women's Songs from West Africa expands our understanding of the world of women in West Africa and their complex and subtle roles as verbal artists. Covering Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and beyond, the essays attest to the importance of women's contributions to the most widespread form of verbal art in Africa.