BéréSanké Percussion, Kocassalé Dioubaté, Hand-made drums, Workshops, Performances
Hand-made African drums, instruments, music, workshops and performances.
Gourds
Gourds are a vine-growing vegetable related to cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and melons. It is believed that they have been grown for both ornamental and utility purposes for over 10,000 years.
There are 3 main types of gourd: Cucurbita (the colourful ornamentals you have as your Thanksgiving centerpiece), Luffa (Vegetable Sponge) and Lagenaria, also known as Hardshell gourds. It is the last type that is commonly found in Africa.
Hardshell gourds come in an enormous variety of sizes, from just a few inches in diameter to bushel basket size, and an even larger range of shapes – spherical, hourglass, bottle, dipper, tubular... Some are edible, while others are poisonous - the unifying feature among all the varieties is the hard, impermeable shell.
Hardshell gourds grow on a vine and have white blossoms, which bloom at night. When the vines have died and dried, the gourds have reached maturity. They are placed outside, whole or halved, to dry in the sun. This can take a few days to several weeks. When dry, the gourds are quite light but surprisingly hearty, and can be worked with simple tools.
The hollowed out shells, known in Africa as “calabash” or “calabasse”, are used as spoons, ladles, bowls, washbasins and containers, to name a few uses. Of course, hollowed gourds also serve as a natural resonating chamber – which gives the gourd its most fascinating of uses – musical instruments!
The “calabasse” is used to create a plethora of traditional West African musical instruments, including the Balafon (xylophone), Gongoma (thumb-piano), Kora (harp), Koni (Gourd-Guitar), and the Bada (gourd-drum).
