Paper short abstract:

A hero does not become a hero alone. Firstly, he must possess some special attributes and perform a special kind of action. Secondly, other people have to know about him. In both conditions is in many African cases the role of the Griots decisive, as it is illustrated in a large number of literary texts.

Paper long abstract:

Literature - both oral and written - is one of the most prominent places for the reflection and creation of discourses about important social roles like that of the hero. Literature from West Africa in French and Bambara has produced several great heroes like Soundiata Keita and Biton Koulibali. Likewise it has also brought life to a number of anti-heroes like Fama Doumbouya in Ahmadou Kourouma's "Les soleils des indépendances". An important role in the creation of the hero is the character of the Griot - the historian, artist and consultant. By the power of his words and music he gives strength to the others to behave like a hero.

How to become a hero? How to become an anti-hero? How do literary texts reflect these questions? Becoming a hero is both a solitary and cooperative process. Initially it appears as if heroes in the post-colonial literatures become increasingly more like anti-heroes. Are there nevertheless signs or examples of a new type of hero and do Griots still play a role in giving them life?

This paper presents a number of central literary texts which deal with the importance of the Griot - hero relation and shows literary strategies like praise singing, historical story telling, caricature and satire by Griots both as characters in the texts and also as authors of the texts.