Africa culture

1. In what ways did the spread of Islam contribute to the expansion and political power of the Empire of Mali? 2. Many (though not all) pre-colonial African societies did not leave behind written sources. How have contemporary historians used oral sources to tackle this problem, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of oral sources? 3. How reliable are the travel accounts/narratives by ‘foreigners’ (Islamic writers, Europeans before and during colonialism) for the study of African history and what are the potential problems with these texts? 4. How important was the figure of the griot in the study of West African history, and in particular in the history of the Empire of Mali? List a few of the functions a griot had in Mali.