Sundjata Keita is the cultural hero and ancestor of the Mande peoples, founder of the great Mali Empire, inspiration of the great oral epic tradition of griots or professional bards The Heritage of the Griot--keepers of tradition and history, once trusted and powerful advisors of kings and clans.
These oral artists are specialists of the spoken/sung word and the power—called nyama—that it releases. They may belong to special castes or inherit their calling through generations of the same family, for example, in Mande West African cultures.