West Africa

====Griot artists====
[[File:Bijoutier et joueurs de kora.jpg|thumb|Kora-playing [[griots]] in [[Senegal]], 1900. Both the [[Kora (instrument)|Kora]], a 21-stringed harp-lute, and the griot musical-caste are unique to West Africa.]]

[[Griot]] artists and praise-singing is an important musical tradition related to the oral history of West African culture. Traditionally, musical and oral history as conveyed over generations by griots are typical of West African culture in [[Mandé peoples|Mande]], [[Wolof people|Wolof]], [[Songhai people|Songhay]], [[Serer people|Serer]] and, to some extent, [[Fula people|Fula]] areas in the far west. A hereditary caste occupying the fringes of society, the griots were charged with memorizing the histories of local rulers and personages and the caste was further broken down into music-playing griots (similar to [[bard]]s) and non-music-playing griots. Like Praise-singers, the griot's main profession was musical acquisition and prowess, and patrons were the sole means of financial support. Modern griots enjoy higher status in the patronage of rich individuals in places such as [[Mali]], [[Senegal]], [[Mauritania]] and [[Guinea]], and to some extent make up the vast majority of musicians in these countries. Examples of modern popular griot artists include [[Youssou N'Dour]], [[Mamadou Diabate]], [[Sona Jobarteh|Sona Jobareteh]], and [[Toumani Diabate]].

In other areas of West Africa, primarily among the [[Hausa people|Hausa]], [[Mossi people|Mossi]], [[Dagomba people|Dagomba]] and [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] in the area encompassing [[Burkina Faso]], northern [[Ghana]], [[Nigeria]] and [[Niger]], the traditional profession of non-hereditary praise-singers, [[minstrels]], bards and poets play a vital role in extending the public show of power, lineage and prestige of traditional rulers through their exclusive patronage. Like the griot tradition, praise singers are charged with knowing the details of specific historical events and royal lineages, but more importantly need to be capable of poetic improvisation and creativity, with knowledge of traditional songs directed towards showing a patron's financial and political or religious power. Competition between Praise-singing ensembles and artistes are high, and artists responsible for any extraordinarily skilled prose, musical compositions, and panegyric songs are lavishly rewarded with money, clothing, provisions and other luxuries by patrons who are usually politicians, rulers, Islamic clerics and merchants; these successful praise-singers rise to national stardom. Examples include [[Mamman Shata]], [[Souley Konko]], [[Fati Niger]], [[Saadou Bori]] and [[Dan Maraya]]. In the case of Niger, numerous praise songs are composed and shown on television in praise of local rulers, Islamic clerics, and politicians.
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