Djembe drums are now a common sight around the world. From small town America to rural Japan, these hand drums have found a strong passionate following.
What is it about that brings such a wide appeal? Where did they come from and what are their traditional role within mande society?
Hundreds of years ago a group of Mande people left the area between Northern Guinea and Bamako and headed towards the senegambia region.
These people became the modern day Mandinka people.
In the Senegambia region the Mandinka dance to a 3 drum ensemble, the kutirindingo, kutiriba & the sabaro.
These are very similar in appearance and playing style the sabar drum of the Wolof people who live in the same region.
The dancing of the Maninka of Mali and Guinea is done to drumming by dununs and djembes.
The dividing line of these two styles centres around the border town of Tambacounda in Senegal. To the west of Tambacounda the Mandinka ensemble is used more, to the east the Maninka ensemble is more widespread.
Fodeba Keita, founder of Les Ballet Africains, brought the djembe on tour in the 1950s. Ladji Camara, a lead djembe player from Les Ballet Africains relocated to the United States in the 1960s and there was and immediate in this type of music.
A surge of interest took place when Seckou Toure (Former players from the Ballets of Guinea, Senegal and Mali began to settle in western countries to teach and perform.
To this day, with few exceptions, drums are the instruments of choice for dancing.
Some dancing is playful (tulon)or entertainment (nyenaje). However some occassions for dancing and drumming are very serious.
Certain drum rhythms and their corresponding dances would traditionally have been performed for particular events. Each particular rhythm would have a certain time and place, such as circumcision or funerals.
These days rhythms and dances may be performed at a wider range of events.
Drumming is a communal event. Everybody present takes part and Participation in the form of clapping, dancing and singing. Through participation, you honour the people being celebrated.
