Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, by D.T. Niane, begins with the griot, Djeli Mamadou Kouyaté, who introduces himself as a “master in the art of eloquence”. He talks how his ancestors have always served the Keita princes of Mali. He goes in depth about their duties as hiding secrets, honoring the names of great kings. He says he can remember the names of all kings who ruled Mali, how the tribes divided, and the reason they are named the way they are. He knows this because he learned from his father. He advises the kings about their history, to help guide them and their actions, as “the future springs from the past”. He also says that “royal griots do not know what lying is”, and as a result, they are the peace keepers between tribes. He then
