Jala Wood, Animal Hide, Rope, Rubber Tube

Drum - Single Head

Djembe Field Collected

Mali
Mandinka

Jala Wood, Animal Hide, Rope, Rubber Tube
ca. Mid-Late 20th century

Membranophone - Struck - Directly - Goblet-shaped

This Djembe Drum was field collected by Jenna Haselton in South Africa. The Djembe drum is an old communication device used to signal others from great distances, often in a network of drummers, relaying messages of urgency throughout the continent. The origin of the Djembe is believed to be associated with the Mandinka caste of blacksmiths, known as Numu, which date back to the great Mali Empire of the 12th century. The djembe is also known as djenbe, jembe, sanbanyi, jymbe or yembe. It is made from an single piece of wood and carved into the shape of a goblet that is hollow throughout with a skin covering the top. The drum is played with the hands. The carving on the bottom trunk of this djembe shows the face of an ancestor.

Owner:
Catalog#: AF-MBST-4-96