Mali's Royal Griots: The Living Libraries of an Empire
The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
Lucas and Luna dive into the world of the jeliw — the hereditary griots who preserved Mali's history, law, and genealogy through oral tradition. They explore how these poet-historians memorized centuries of events, served as advisors to mansas, and even acted as diplomats. The conversation touches on the Kouroukan Fouga charter, the role of the nyamakala caste, and how modern griots like Youssouf Tata Cissé have worked to transcribe these living archives. A fascinating look at how an empire without a written constitution sustained its identity for centuries. #MaliEmpire #jeliw #griot #oralTradition #KouroukanFouga #nyamakala #YoussoufTataCissé #WestAfrica #Mande #history #FexingoHistory #podcast #SundiataKeita #MansaMusa #Timbuktu #genealogy #epic #storytelling Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
