STORYTELLING OF WEST AFRICA

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STORYTELLING OF WEST AFRICA
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CALL AND RESPONSE
MANY STORIES IN WEST AFRICA ARE CALL AND RESPONSE
STORIES. IN THESE STORIES THE STORYTELLER AND
AUDIENCE INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER WHILE THE STORY
IS BEING TOLD. THE AUDIENCE IS USUALLY GUIDED BY
THE STORYTELLER TO REPEAT IMPORTANT PHRASES OR
IDEAS AS THE STORY UNFOLDS.
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A CHILD IN WEST AFRICA WOULD HEAR THE FOLLOWING
STORIES FIRST A CHILD WOULD HEAR WHAT THEIR
FAMILY WAS LIKE BEFORE HE OR SHE WAS BORN AND HOW
THAT FAMILY SELECTED A NAME FOR HIM OR HER.
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SECOND A CHILD WOULD HEAR WHY SO STORIES.
THESE STORIES EXPLAIN ABOUT LIFE AND THINGS FOUND
IN NATURE. EXAMPLES OF THESE STORIES INCLUDE HOW
THE SUN AND MOON GOT IN THE SKY AND WHY
MOSQUITOES BUZZ IN PEOPLES EARS.
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THIRD A CHILD WOULD HEAR STORIES ABOUT BEING A
GOOD PERSON DOING THE RIGHT THING. STORIES
WOULD BE ABOUT PEOPLE OR ANIMALS WHO WERE NOT
DOING THE RIGHT THING. ANANSI STORIES FIT IN
THIS CATEGORY!
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THE PERSON PICTURED ABOVE IS A GRIOT OR
STORYTELLER. IN ORDER TO BE A GRIOT, YOU MUST BE
BORN INTO A FAMILY OF GRIOTS.
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GRIOTS REMEMBER THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF FAMILIES
WHO MARRIED WHOM, WHEN AND WHERE MARRIAGES AND
BIRTHS TOOK PLACE, AND NAMES OF ALL THE CHILDREN
BORN OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THEY ALSO TELL
STORIES OF ENTIRE VILLAGES TALES OF FEAST AND
FAMINE, PROSPERITY AND DESTRUCTION, TALES OF GOOD
TIMES AND BAD TIMES.