From the Griot of Roots to the Roots of Griot: A New Look at the Origins of a Controversial African Term for Bard

Abstract

The spread of the word griot during the last two decades from its role as a regional descriptor for a certain kind of West African bard to global usage in an extraordinary range of media is the result of many factors. The 1976 Roots phenomenon introduced 1.5 million readers and 130 million viewers to the image of the griot (Pace 1992, Anonymous 1977). Today, griots perform at a variety of venues in cities such as Paris, London, New York, and Tokyo, as well as at hundreds of universities around the world. They are now having an impact on such diverse musical styles as rock, rap, and even modern symphonic music.

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