About the Book:Griots, a uniquely African profession, fulfill a variety of roles as genealogists, historians, spokespersons, diplomats, musicians, teachers, praise singers, and advisors. Telling the story of these remarkable wordsmiths and performers, Thomas A. Hale addresses the nature of their verbal and musical art, the role of female griots, or griottes, how griots and griottes fit into their societies, and what their future might be in Africa and the rest of the world.Table of Contents: Introduction1. A Job Description for Griots2. The Origin of Griots3. The Verbal Art of Griots4. Music across the Griot World5. The Making of a Griot6. Would You Want Your Daughter to Marry One?7. Griottes: Unrecognized Female Voices8. From the Courtyards of the Nobility to a Global Audience9. The Value of Words10. New Millennium GriotsAppendicesSelected BibliographyIndex