Mansa Musa's Griot: The Oral Historian Who Shaped His Legend

Episode 96 of Fexingo History dives into the role of griots, or jeliw, in the Mali Empire, focusing on how Mansa Musa himself used oral historians to craft his legacy. We explore the griot's training, their sacred duty to memorize centuries of genealogy and epic poetry, and how the Kouroukan Fouga constitution defined their role. Drawing on accounts from Al-Umari and Ibn Battuta, Lucas and Luna discuss how Mansa Musa's griots—likely led by a master jeli—accompanied him on his hajj, spreading his fame across the Islamic world. We also examine the griot's influence on the Tarikh al-Sudan and the Sundiata epic, revealing how Mansa Musa's story was shaped as much by performance as by historical fact. This episode offers a fresh angle on the richest man in history: the artists who made him unforgettable. #MansaMusa #MaliEmpire #Griot #Jeli #OralHistory #WestAfrica #KouroukanFouga #AlUmari #IbnBattuta #SundiataKeita #TarikhAlSudan #FexingoHistory #History #MedievalAfrica #Sahel #EpicPoetry #Mande #Hajj Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo