BéréSanké Percussion, Kocassalé Dioubaté, Hand-made drums, Workshops, Performances
Hand-made African drums, instruments, music, workshops and performances.
The Djembe
The djembe (pronounced "JEM-bay") drum is a member of the membranophone family of musical instruments: a frame covered by an animal skin. The djembe has its origin in the ancient Empire of Mali, which ruled West Africa from the 14th to 16th centuries. The empire was founded by the Mandingo people – a West African ethnic group (or tribe), also known as the Mandinka, Maninka, Mandé, Mandingue, Malinké, or Soninke, depending on the region.
The djembe drum is hand-carved from a solid piece of wood. A skin – typically goat, and more rarely antelope, zebra, deer or calf - is stretched over the top to create the drumhead. Iron rods and synthetic rope (originally materials like sinew and cane would have been used) are tightened precisely to tune the drum.
The djembe is played with bare hands. There is a wide range of sounds that can be produced on the djembe. Hitting the drumhead in the center produces the “Bass” note; while hitting the skin along the edge creates the “Tone” (fingers together) or the “Slap” (fingers apart). Things like the carving and density of the wood, and the quality and tightness of the skin will affect the sound.
Traditionally, the djembe is 12" - 16” (30cm-41cm) in diameter, but can be found in sizes from 5" (13cm) up to 18" (46cm).
The djembe drum is said to contain 3 spirits - The spirit of the tree, the spirit of the animal of which the drumhead is made and the spirit of the instrument maker. The djembe is considered by many as a healing drum, and by others as a magical drum with powers to transport people into other worlds.
