Latest / The Songhai Empire: Africa's Powerful Forgotten Kingdom — Fexingo History
The Griots of Songhai: Memory, Music, and the Power of the Spoken Word
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vital role of griots in the Songhai Empire. Beyond mere entertainers, griots were the keepers of history, advisors to kings, and the living archives of West Africa. Lucas traces their origins to the Mali Empire, explains their complex social position, and reveals how they preserved the epic of Sonni Ali and the deeds of Askia Muhammad long after the empire fell. He discusses the griots' mastery of the kora and the ngoni, their training from childhood, and their precarious status as both honored counselors and feared critics. Drawing on the…
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