Ama Ata AidooAma Ata Aidoo

And story telling/GriotsAnd story telling/Griots

BiographyBiography

• Ama Ata Aidoo (1942) is a respected Ghanian Ama Ata Aidoo (1942) is a respected Ghanian playwright, short-story writer, novelist, and playwright, short-story writer, novelist, and poet whose works explore the far-reaching poet whose works explore the far-reaching effects of sexism and colonialism. Aidoo's effects of sexism and colonialism. Aidoo's "greatest strength," according to Jill Franks in "greatest strength," according to Jill Franks in Contemporary Novelists,Contemporary Novelists, "is her ability to mix "is her ability to mix humor and hope with the serious issues of humor and hope with the serious issues of gender and social conflict." As the daughter of a gender and social conflict." As the daughter of a chief, Aidoo was raised as royalty and given an chief, Aidoo was raised as royalty and given an extensive education; she has worked as an extensive education; she has worked as an educator in the United States as well as in her educator in the United States as well as in her native Ghana, where she served for a time as native Ghana, where she served for a time as Minister of Education. Minister of Education.

StyleStyle

• She is lauded for her innovative attempts She is lauded for her innovative attempts to blend African oral with Western literary to blend African oral with Western literary traditions. Indeed, in the traditions. Indeed, in the Dictionary of Dictionary of Literary Biography,Literary Biography, Aidoo is quoted as Aidoo is quoted as stating, "I pride myself on the fact that my stating, "I pride myself on the fact that my stories are written to be heard, primarily.“stories are written to be heard, primarily.“– Conventions of oral traditionConventions of oral tradition

• Full of devices to aid memory, in particular repetition.Full of devices to aid memory, in particular repetition.• Filled with formulaic expressions.Filled with formulaic expressions.• The successful storyteller or epic singer gives his The successful storyteller or epic singer gives his

story credibility by the use of realistic details.story credibility by the use of realistic details.• Direct address of audience.Direct address of audience.

In the tradition of the In the tradition of the GriotGriot

• In West African culture, both historically and In West African culture, both historically and today, each tribal clan has had its today, each tribal clan has had its griot,griot, an an itinerant clan member who is combination itinerant clan member who is combination historian-musician-storyteller: "A Griot is an historian-musician-storyteller: "A Griot is an oral historian and musician," explains Foday oral historian and musician," explains Foday Musa Suso, one of West Africa 's most Musa Suso, one of West Africa 's most respected and well-known contemporary respected and well-known contemporary griots. "Griots were trusted court advisors to griots. "Griots were trusted court advisors to the kings of West Africa from the twelfth the kings of West Africa from the twelfth century to the twentieth. Every king wanted a century to the twentieth. Every king wanted a Griot to recite the history of the kingdom, and Griot to recite the history of the kingdom, and to pass it down from father to son. History to pass it down from father to son. History wasn't written down – everything was wasn't written down – everything was memorized and recited or sung." memorized and recited or sung."

Griot Cont.Griot Cont.• The griot memorized the clan's significant events The griot memorized the clan's significant events

such as births, deaths, marriages, hunts, and wars, such as births, deaths, marriages, hunts, and wars, ensuring the continuity of the collective heritage ensuring the continuity of the collective heritage and culture. "If you want to buy some cloth, go to and culture. "If you want to buy some cloth, go to the weaver. If you want a hoe, ax or knife, then go the weaver. If you want a hoe, ax or knife, then go to the blacksmith. But if you want to know the to the blacksmith. But if you want to know the history of the people, you must go to the griots." history of the people, you must go to the griots." Often accompanied by the Often accompanied by the korakora (a harp-like (a harp-like stringed instrument), drumming and/or the stringed instrument), drumming and/or the handclapping of the villagers, a griot might speak handclapping of the villagers, a griot might speak for hours, even days, drawing upon a practiced and for hours, even days, drawing upon a practiced and memorized history, passed from griot to griot for memorized history, passed from griot to griot for generations. It is said that, generations. It is said that, "when a griot dies, a "when a griot dies, a library has burned to the ground."library has burned to the ground."

Griot Cont.Griot Cont.

• Interestingly, the griot was not an Interestingly, the griot was not an objective observer and recorder of the objective observer and recorder of the events in his community. In his impressive events in his community. In his impressive study of the griot oral tradition, study of the griot oral tradition, Griots and Griots and Griottes: Masters of Words and Music, Griottes: Masters of Words and Music, historian Thomas A. Hale provides an historian Thomas A. Hale provides an extensive "job description" for the griot: extensive "job description" for the griot: historian, genealogist, advisor, historian, genealogist, advisor, spokesperson, diplomat, mediator, spokesperson, diplomat, mediator, interpreter/translator, musician/composer, interpreter/translator, musician/composer, teacher, exhorter, warrior, witness, and teacher, exhorter, warrior, witness, and praise-singer. praise-singer.

Griot Cont.Griot Cont.

• With such an extensive skill set, it is no wonder With such an extensive skill set, it is no wonder that griots "became so valued that they were that griots "became so valued that they were not allowed to leave the chief's side, especially not allowed to leave the chief's side, especially during discussions, trials, and deliberations, in during discussions, trials, and deliberations, in order to support his criticisms and to approve order to support his criticisms and to approve his decisions." Clearly, states Hale, the griot's his decisions." Clearly, states Hale, the griot's role extends much further than the simple role extends much further than the simple recitation of events. He or she must provide "a recitation of events. He or she must provide "a reading of the past for audiences in the reading of the past for audiences in the present, an interpretation that reflects a present, an interpretation that reflects a complex blend of both past and present complex blend of both past and present values." values."

Griot Cont.Griot Cont.

• Hale "suggests that griots constitute in many Hale "suggests that griots constitute in many ways a group that serves collectively as the social ways a group that serves collectively as the social glue in society. By their efforts to inspire people, glue in society. By their efforts to inspire people, mediate conflicts, and facilitate important life mediate conflicts, and facilitate important life ceremonies, they seem to operate as secular ceremonies, they seem to operate as secular guides to human behavior and as social arbiters. guides to human behavior and as social arbiters. At events related to birth, initiation, marriage, At events related to birth, initiation, marriage, family, history, sports, music, and government, family, history, sports, music, and government, griots and griottes are there to witness the griots and griottes are there to witness the occasion, to enliven it, to facilitate it, and to occasion, to enliven it, to facilitate it, and to convey what happened to others. No other convey what happened to others. No other profession in any other part of the world is profession in any other part of the world is charged with such wide-ranging and intimate charged with such wide-ranging and intimate involvement in the lives of the people."involvement in the lives of the people."

Some Pictures and Some Pictures and RecordingsRecordings

• http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/depthttp://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/griotimages.html/history/lavender/griotimages.html

• http://www.clarence-webpage.com/ahttp://www.clarence-webpage.com/africanarts/alassanefricanarts/alassane//

• My slideMy slide

Griot PiecesGriot Piecescity/country divisioncity/country division

• Okara – PPTOkara – PPT

• Neto -- PPTNeto -- PPT