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Embracing the Legacy of the Griot: Using Storytelling as an Indigenous and Affirming Methodology
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Embracing the Legacy of the Griot: Using Storytelling as an Indigenous and Affirming Methodology

Kim Valldejuli and Justine S. Sefcik
International journal of qualitative methods, v 25
01 Apr 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069261436001
Featured in Collection :   Drexel's Newest Publications
url
https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069261436001View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Social Sciences - Other Topics Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
Storytelling, deeply rooted in African diasporic oral traditions, serves as a vital methodology for cultural preservation, resistance, and healing. Grounded in the legacy of the West African Griot, this study explores how storytelling through the creation and engagement with the 'Ancestral Journey Narrative', a sound collage, can function as a decolonial and affirming methodology within Afro-Caribbean art therapy. Using an Arts-Based Research (ABR) framework, members of a PhD cohort were invited by the first author to engage with a sound collage narrating the imagined journey of an enslaved African to the Caribbean. Through creative responses in visual art, movement, and dialogue, participants reflected on historical trauma, resilience, and cultural identity. Thematic analysis revealed three interconnected themes: Visualizing the Journey, Embodying the Journey, and Linking the Past to the Present. These themes highlight how embodied storytelling can foster emotional connection, historical understanding, and cultural reclamation. Findings underscore the importance of integrating Afro-Caribbean cultural frameworks and ancestral narratives into therapeutic and educational settings to counter dominant historical erasures, address mental health stigma, and promote resilience through cultural pride. While this study was limited by its small, academically situated sample, it offers critical insights into the transformative potential of storytelling as a culturally affirming practice. Future research should broaden participation through community-based approaches and explore the long-term impacts of multi-modal arts-based storytelling interventions across diverse Afro-Caribbean contexts.

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