Griots (also called jeli or jali in Mandinka) are traditional West African musicians, storytellers, oral historians, and praise singers. In Senegambia (the region encompassing Senegal and The Gambia), griots belong to a hereditary caste of professional musicians who have preserved oral traditions for centuries.
Griots are best classified as wandering musicians because they traditionally travel from place to place, performing at naming ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and other social gatherings across different communities. Although griots have historically been attached to noble families and royal courts, their itinerant nature - moving between patrons, villages, and events to perform, narrate history, and sing praises - is their defining characteristic in the context of African music classification.
Cult musicians are those attached to specific religious or spiritual cults and rituals. Village musicians are non-professional performers who serve a single community. Palace musicians are permanently resident at a royal court. While griots may serve courts, their mobility and independence distinguish them from fixed palace ensembles.
