<P> "The West African griot is a troubadour, the counterpart of the medieval European minstrel...The griot knows everything that is going on...He is a living archive of the people's traditions...The virtuoso talents of the griots command universal admiration . This virtuosity is the culmination of long years of study and hard work under the tuition of a teacher who is often a father or uncle . The profession is by no means a male prerogative . There are many women griots whose talents as singers and musicians are equally remarkable ." </P> <P> The Manding term jeliya (meaning "musicianhood") sometimes refers to the knowledge of griots, indicating the hereditary nature of the class . Jali comes from the root word jali or djali (blood). This is also the title given to griots in regions within the former Mali Empire . Though the term "griot" is more common in English, some, such as poet Bakari Sumano, prefer the term jeli . </P> <P> The Mali Empire (Malinke Empire), at its height in the middle of the 14th century, extended from central Africa (today's Chad and Niger) to West Africa (today's Mali and Senegal). The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita, whose exploits remain celebrated in Mali today . In the Epic of Sundiata, Naré Maghann Konaté offered his son Sundiata Keita a griot, Balla Fasséké, to advise him in his reign . Balla Fasséké is considered the founder of the Kouyaté line of griots that exists to this day . </P> <P> Each aristocratic family of griots accompanied a higher - ranked family of warrior - kings or emperors, called jatigi . In traditional culture, no griot can be without a jatigi, and no jatigi can be without a griot . However, the jatigi can loan his griot to another jatigi . </P>

Who is the griot that sings the epic