savanna- A flat grassland of tropical or subtropical regions.
plateau- a high, flat ground or a situation where something has stalled that was progressing forward previously.
griot- a traditional, West African musician or storyteller who recounts the oral history of a village, family, etc.
dhow- any of various lateen-rigged sailing vessels with one or two masts, used especially along the eastern coast of Africa.
clan- a division of a tribe tracing descent from a common ancestor.
Swahili- an inhabitant of coastal eastern Africa for whom Swahili is the mother tongue.
Extended family- a family consisting of parents and children, along with either grandparents, grandchildren, aunts or uncles, cousins etc.
Matrilineal- a relative, behavior or other characteristic that is traced through a mother's lineage.
Oral history- an audiotape, videotape, or written account of such an interview or interviews.
Spiritual- something related to or concerned with religion, the spirit or the soul.