Imbongi

An imbongi or a praise poet, is an oral repository who worked as a story teller and an oral historian, who performs ceremonial activities at important events. An imbongi is traditionally a male (or female) who recites emotive poetry, sings, explains family relationships, re-tells historical events and comments on current affairs. Imbongi is employed by a patron such as a king, or chief to compose verses or praise-poem about the patron's own activities. The word imbongi is used by a number of clans and nations found in Southern Africa. In West african nations imbongi is called a griot