The theme of the journey quest permeates world literature. It is especially prevalent in oral literature: such orature (Chinweizu 1988) is an essential part of the West African tradition: it permeates the culture by influencing religion, dance, music and various aspects of socioeconomic realms of life. The main goals of oral literature are to pass down the history of an ethnic group, teach its moral values and the importance of group solidarity. Griots, among others, transmit their cultural traditions from generation to generation and traces of these traditions are still apparent in literature. Literary genres of orature include poetry, proverbs, songs, epics, folktales, legends, riddles and myths. This article will focus on selected folktales from West Africa and the importance of the journey quest encountered in them.

The theme of the journey in folktales is one way by which cultural values are transmitted to children. Whether the hero embarks on this quest voluntarily or not, it leads him in search of a seemingly unattainable task. However, the hero often succeeds in finding not only the sought-after object but also conquers fear and other obstacles which lead to the discovery of his or her identity.

As a basis of analysis, the article uses the stages of the heroic quest outlined in Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces, published in 1973. According to Campbell, these stages are Departure, Initiation and the Return. Applying these steps helps to unlock the mystery of the journey quest in certain West African folktales, enabling greater understanding of various aspects of West African culture and heritage.

Four folktales are examined to this end. ‘Le Pagne noir’ (The Black Cloth), by Bernard Dadié of Côte d’Ivoire, illustrates the journey quest of a young girl who is sent to accomplish an impossible task by her stepmother. ‘Le Cercueil de Maka-Kouli’ (The Casket of Maka-Kouli) is told by the Senegalese writer, Birago Diop. A young man strives to reclaim his birthright, stolen by a family ‘friend’. The third tale is ‘L’Héritage’ (The Inheritance) by Birago Diop, which recounts the journey quest of three brothers searching for the meaning of their dying father's last gift. The fourth and final folktale, also by Birago Diop, ‘La Cuiller Sale’ (The Dirty Spoon) tells of the journey of a young girl, Binta, as she tries to satisfy the whims of a menacing stepmother.