Identity

“Keita: Heritage of the Griot” explores identity all throughout the film. Djeliba Kouyate, a griot, is sent to a young boy named Mabo Keita to teach him the meaning of his name. Mabo began failing school and later dismissed from school do to his disinterest in the material. Mabo was more focused on learning about his distant ancestor King Maghan Fatta, I believe that the film explores identity when the school master come to the Keita’s home the first time and the father has to explain the purpose of the griot. The father explains to him that nothing can be done about Djeliba; and that he’s there to teach Mabo of their history, as someone did to him. He insists that the school master send the griot away because he wasn’t going to. Identity is also explored when the 3 young boys including Mabo where up in the tree and he was telling them what he was learning from his griot about his ancestor. I feel like this is showing that knowing who you are and knowing who other people are will help you to understand their actions and beliefs. In order for Mabo to move forward he has to understand that what the griot is teaching him ways of the past and that he can’t associate it with his present classes and life. There is conflict in the school because Mabo fail to separate what he’s learning in class from what he’s being taught by Djeliba. My great grandmother is our “griot.” She keeps the family history by telling stories to use during family gatherings, pictures and home videos. It’s never been that important to me to actually do research on my family’s history but after watching this film, I’m curious to know my family history.