The Jenbé or djembé
Its shape of chalice reminds that of the utensil the African woman use to crush their cereals. Carved out of all of a piece, it is constituted of a hollow "foot" whose cavity communicates with a case of resonance. Its size is variable, generally between 50 and 60 cm height and between 30 and 40 cm in diameter. Its higher part is covered with a membrane in goatskin. The system of tension is realized thanks to a braiding of cords made of nylon and the skin is maintained with three metal hoopings.
Source: Radio France

Jenbe or djembe (one-skin drum)
Wood, industrial thread, iron
Height: 52,4 cm

The jenbe drum, whose large and small versions are invariably played together, plays a central role in the musical practices of the Malinké, the Khassonké and the sedentary Peul of Wasulun, they use it to play sokoninkun music, relating to the mythical antelope from which agriculture draws its beginnings, music of the nama (hyena) cult, associated with work in the fields, the music of the sigi (buffalo), an animal to which hunters pay homage, jaguawara music (music with the power to make people dance), and the typical music of the jenbe itself.

The centuries-old musical tradition of the Malinké derives its rich diversity from three main instruments whose reputation extends beyond the borders of Mali and Africa: the single-skinned jenbe or "goblet drum", the balanin or "small xylophone" with 15 to 19 bars tuned to a seven-tone scale, and the kora or "bridge-harp" with 21 strings, originally from Casamance.
These instruments furthermore determine the musical genres of which they are the mainstay.

The typical music of the jenbe itself is played with three instruments: the jenbe ba or "large jenbe" which the player uses to work out complex rhythms, play solo and give rhythmic support to the dance steps; the jenbe den or "small jenbe" which is used for basic accompaniment; and the dunun, a cylindrical drum used to play the bass notes.
Other elements are hand-clapping (by the women) and a chorus with a female lead-singer.

This music is generally performed in connection with the harvest (of fonio and millet), Muslim religious celebrations (Tabaski and Ramadan), and rites of passage (baptisms, circumcisions, weddings and funerals).
Each of these occasions has its own particular rhythms, songs and dances.

Source : National Museum of Mali

The Djembé
An instrument of legend

Percussion instrument, the djembé has a fantastic legend which almost unknown even in Africa, its cradle. African traditional instrument, it allured and conquered the occident where its trade is very flourishing. But if the economic operators who export it make fortune easily, the manufacturers paradoxically are hard up. Perhaps this is also include in the legend of the djembé.
"The djembé is certainly the most popular percussion instrument of the world", thinks Séga Sidibé.
A conviction shared by many artists on the continent and in the world. It is then easy to understand that the Senegaleses, the Guineans and even of the Gambians dispute his paternity to the Malians today. In Séga Sidibé’s opinion, "the Malians have so much neglected and forsook the djembé and scorned the beaters because of the social prejudices that nowadays one allots, especially the Westerners, its invention to Guinea, Burkina Faso, Senegal or Gambia".

According to historians, to griots and to famous beaters' like Séga Sidibé and François Dembélé, the Djembé is "originating from Mali".
It was invented under the empire of Mali, precisely at the period of its apogee, under Kankou Moussa, the successor of Soundiata Kéita. Before the djembé, the "djidoundoun" (a calabash reversed in another or a recipient full of water which one generally plays with ladle). The rhythm of the djembé is a reproduction of that of the djidoundoun. It is a young person of Sakabari (Kita) who invented it. Certain sources specify that he was called Djimé which progressive deformation would have given Djembé. Literally, djembé means “the instrument of Djimé”. It is in any case obvious that the young inventor took as a starting point the traditional utensil to give a form to the required instrument. The carved tree trunk was then covered by a tanned skin. Then he gradually polished his work until having satisfaction in the form and the sonority. The design of the djembé is evolving with the will of the creators and the artists. Presently, several forms of djembé are distinguishable. Dum-dum, n’tamani, chumba... are inspired from the percussion instrument.

The fabrication of the djembé is done in an assembly line work. There are initially those who carve the trunks to give them their rough form. Thereafter it is polished and refined with varnish or karitea butter. It is then covered with skin using the iron and the nylon wire knots. "The goatskin is particularly recommended because it gives a leather of better quality when it is tanned ", explains Mady Kané, a young manufacturer installed behind the BIM, on the road of Djicoroni Para (in Bamako). The trade is learned from father to son or by apprenticeship by a Master. All the great beaters manufacture their instruments themselves. Certain workshops can manufacture up to hundred djembés per day.

Million and million of djembés are exported from Africa particularly from Mali, Burkina and Senegal to be sold in Europe, in the United States and in Asia. If the importers carry out juicy businesses, the manufacturers, on the other hand, are apparently hard up.

The price of djembé is always increasing on the international market. Paradoxically, it lowers in a vertiginous way at the national level. "Presently, much people make this job only to survive. They are thus ready to sell their products, generally of bad quality, at all the prices. The Djembés of better quality are sold between 25.000 (38,11 €) and 40.000 FCFA (60,98 €). But, some sell it off between 12.500 FCFA (19,60 €) and 15.000 FCFA (22,87 €). The customers do not inevitably worry about the quality. This unfair competition is ruining the professionals ", explain Mady Kané. But it is not the only reason.

Many manufacturers know that they are exploited by the exporting tradesmen. "They buy our products at low prices here. We often do not have more than 1.500 FCFA (2,29 €) on each ordered djembé. And with the 1.500 FCFA (2,29 €), it is also necessary to pay the workmen who intervene in the manufacture. Finally we have only crumbs ", explains Badian Doumbia, a great manufacturer of the workshop located behind the international Bank for Mali (BIM).

In his opinion, their principal handicaps are the lack of financial means to face the orders and especially the lack of business connections outside. "We have all the difficulties to obtain credits, even with the financial decentralized structures like the savings banks and of credit", he adds with a real feeling of disappointment and frustration.

They wait today from the authorities and the national Federation of the craftsmen of Mali (FENAM), from which they are almost all members, a financial support enabling them to deliver the orders in time and especially to take part in cultural and international trade events in order to tie contacts with potentials partners. Awaiting this support, a regrouping of the craftsmen-manufacturers of djembé can enable them to solve certain difficulties, like that of the unfair competition, and especially to be heard and respected. And already, there is an experiment on the matter through "the Association of the Young craftsmen of Bamako Coura, Badian Production", chaired by Badian Doumbia. But force is to recognize that it did not find its marks yet to bring together all the craftsmen of the field.
Important source of income, especially for the economic operators who export the finished product, the fabrication of djembé also creates many employments. Thus, Badian Doumbia affirms: "in my workshop, I employ 20 to 50 people according to the importance of the orders. Without counting the young people to whom I teach the profession. It is many young people that we move away from unemployment, idleness and especially from juvenile delinquency. Would it be only for that, we deserve the support of the public authorities ".
A legitimate complaint which deserves the attention of the authorities if they are really concerned by the struggle against poverty by the access to the employment and by the cultural radiance of Mali.
Moussa Bolly

Species in danger!
The Djembé is manufactured with leather and especially wood and not any wood. A work of quality requires wood drawn from the trees like the linguè, dougoura, djala (calcédrat), guélen, sounsoun... All invaluable, exposed and increasingly rare gasoline. They are today very threatened because of the increase of the production of djembé because of the very big international demand. The supply of the djembé wood sculptors is a juicy source of income which supports a wild cut of the concerned vegetable gasoline.
At this rate of growth of this activity, they are likely to disappear earlier than expected if nothing is done to organize their cut.
It is advisable to sensitize these wood salesmen, and also to make research to try to replace these overexploited trees by less threatened gasoline. It is at this price that one will be able perhaps to avoid an ecological drama caused by the trade of djembé.
M.B