Both men and women can be griots, but women are called griottes and often don't have the same status as the men. What is the meaning of status? well is Griotte is a cultural and old trade name given to a type of marbles and limestones. The natural stone is deep cherry-red in colour (Griotte is a French word meaning a Morello cherry), often flecked with small dashes of purple and/or spots and streaks of white formed by Goniatites or by later cementation.