Storytellers

Africa is a continent rich in folktales. A griot is an African storyteller who passes on African traditions and lessons by telling stories in a dramatized, exaggerated type of acting fashion.

A griot is sometimes called a Jali in Mali. During the early years of Mali, most people did not read or write. Instead, griots told stories of the tribes. They memorized hundreds of years' worth of tales and legends. They shared them by singing or speaking. They often played music with stringed instruments while they shared their stories.

The job of the griot was very important. They were like "living books." Without them the stories might have been forgotten. Even though Africa is modernized, the tradition of telling a story orally, in a dramatic way, is alive and well.

The African culture, like many others, has trickster tales. A trickster tale is a folktale whose main character is an animal who tricks other animals. Many times the character is lazy or mischevious. One of the favorite characters of African trickster tales is Anansi the Spider, who has very special characteristics.