Why I No Longer Want to Use the Word “Griot”
For decades, outsiders have lumped Africa’s jeliw, gewel, onye akwa, and countless other culture keepers under one imported label—“griot.” The word traces to Portuguese criado (“servant”) and 18th-century French colonial records, yet it still dominates textbooks and music syllabi across the continent. When we swap living, indigenous names for a foreign catch-all, we flatten rich, distinct roles—praise-singer, historian, drummer, spiritual adviser—into a single colonial shorthand. True decolonization starts with language: retiring “griot” and restoring the authentic terms rooted in each community’s tongue.
Highlife Music Showdown:
Ghana vs Nigeria – The Controversial History of West Africa’s Legendary Genre 🎶 Ghana or Nigeria? The Highlife music battle goes beyond what you think! 🇬🇭🇳🇬 From its roots in “Palm-Wine” music from Liberia, Highlife has evolved into one of West Africa’s most iconic genres. But who really owns the sound? In this video,I dive deep into […]
