In TRACES OF LIFE, Busia starts a new genre in praise poetry as a modern griot. Griots are trained oral historians - key figures in West African society who carry the cultural knowledge and identity of each people. The collection is a refreshing departure from the conventional form of written poetry, incorporating aspects of orality in written form. The poems of lamentation and celebration were written for and dedicated to individuals - some famous (including Nelson Mandela and John Lennon) and some unknown.
