As a Korean-Canadian, if I ever wanted to learn more about my predecessors, the roots of my culture, or the overall history of either nation, I have the privilege to access and learn from archival texts. Although it may not be possible for these records to encompass every aspect of history, at the very least, I have something tangible to refer to. However, there are many societies around the world wherein their history has been re-written by colonial powers and the original records remain unacknowledged. West African societies constitute a great portion of this silenced community due to its tradition of oral storytelling and minimal documentation of their history (aside from colonial records). In this blog post, I will analyze the misrepresented history of West African societies as a result of colonialism and the role that archivists may play in giving rise to the silenced historians of West Africa.
Griots are the oral storytellers of West Africa, who have been around for nearly a thousand years, reciting the histories of different cultures and tribes through mostly songs, poems, etc. Historically, they held very powerful positions in society alongside the king, but with the dawn of colonialism and the collapse of African empire, the face of orally transmitted history was consequently changed, and the formerly esteemed griots never redeemed their status. In his work with examining the power of archives, Rodney Carter addresses that silencing occurs when the voice is not acknowledged by others due to a lack of power, or especially when record-keeping traditions differ from Western practices, e.g., oral storytelling vs. literary/written documents (218-219). In this context, the historic accounts from dominant powers may be regarded as more legitimate than those who were colonized.
Although these colonial records may have served a useful purpose at one point, they have tainted the outside perceptions of West Africa societies through their heavily prejudiced perspectives. Carter highlights that “powerful” groups of a society heavily influence the documents that enter archives/shape the entire archive itself, and such groups will exert dominance over the “weaker” groups in society (217-218). For instance, African women have held notable positions within society as female griots (griottes) and influential singers, yet common Western beliefs regard them as being harshly oppressed since earlier times. In sum, this mere glimpse into the devastating effects of colonialism on griots and traditions of oral storytelling reveals that colonizers recklessly distorted West African history. Due to their level of influence, the biased colonial views have permeated Western society and fostered flawed perspectives of West African communities.
Contemporary griots have significantly decreased in number and many use their craft to perform in shows (in non-traditional settings) around the world, particularly in Europe. What was once considered a traditional practice that preserved West African culture has transformed into solely forms of entertainment, consumed by the people whose ancestors seized the African territory and silenced the powerful voices of griots. Perhaps hosting these shows are educative and could possibly alter the perspectives of West African communities; however, it is not as effective in reclaiming and correcting their history to a greater extent. Here, I suggest that archivists utilize their influence by creating a post-colonial archive, specific to West Africa. By inviting the griots into the planning and administrative process, archivists could allow them to challenge the “conceptualizations of the mainstream” and use their own voice in regards to “access, use, and display” (Carter 226, 231); in doing so, I believe that these archives could help empower griots and ultimately restore their legitimacy.
In examining the potential that post-colonial archives carry in correcting the misrepresented West African history through exploring their traditional oral stories, it encourages us, as Canadian citizens, to reflect on the possible gaps in Canadian history, as well. Given that First Nations people also have a tradition of oral storytelling, it is important that we ruminate on what may be missing or misconstrued within Canada’s national archives regarding Indigenous peoples and their history.
Works Cited
Carter, Rodney. “Of Things Said and Unsaid: Power, Archival Silences, and Power in Silence.” Archivaria 61, 2006. pp. 215-33.
“Contemporary Jaliyaa.” Baba the Storyteller, n.d., https://babathestoryteller.com/the-ancient-craft-of-jaliyaa/contemporary-jaliyaa/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.
Keller, Harlee. “Griot is the Word: the Dichotomous Relationship Between Written and Oral History in West Africa.” from Soundcloud, 2015, https://www2.humboldt.edu/isjournal/sites/default/files/Griot-is-the-Word.pdf.
Lott, Joanna. “Keepers of History.” Penn State News, 1 May 2002, http://news.psu.edu/story/140694/2002/05/01/research/keepers-history. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.
“My Culture – Griot Tradition.” Seckou Keita, n.d., http://www.seckoukeita.com/my-story/my-culture/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2018.
“Native American Oral Storytelling & History | Seth Fairchild | TEDxSMU.” YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 3 Nov. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JcKbN_GjCE.