Thomas A. Hale is Liberal Arts Professor of African, French, and Comparative Literature at The Pennsylvania State University. He is editor of The Epic of Askia Mohammed (IUP, 1996) and co-editor (with John William Johnson and Stephen Belcher) of Oral Epics from Africa (IUP, 1997).
Aissata G. Sidikou is Assistant Professor of French at the United States Naval Academy. She is author of Recreating Words, Reshaping Worlds: The Verbal Art of Women from Niger, Mali, and Senegal.Thomas A. Hale is Liberal Arts Professr of African, French, and Comparative Literature and Head of the French Department at Pennsylvania State University. He is author of Griots and Griottes: Masters of Words and Music (IUP, 1999) and editor (with John William Johnson and Stephen Belcher) of Oral Epics from Africa (IUP, 1997).