Djembe

Q: What are the origins of the djembe?

The djembe is an ancient instrument that dates back to the 13th century. It originated in the ancient Mali Empire (also known as the Mandinka Empire), which included present-day Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Gambia, and Côte d'Ivoire.The first peoples of this empire believed to have played the djembe were the Malinke, Bambara, and Soninke. Originally, the instrument was called “dimmé,” which means “drum” in Soninke, a language still spoken in Mali. It later evolved into “djimbé” and, around 1970, became the word djembe we use today.While no official source confirms this theory, the djembe is said to have been created by repurposing a mortar—essentially a bowl used with a pestle for grinding plants—and stretching a skin over the top.At first, this African drum was mainly played at celebrations, such as births and weddings, to accompany dance. It then spread to other continents in the 1980s with the rise of African dance companies, which helped share African culture abroad.

Q: What do you call a djembe player?

A djembe player is called a djembéfola. In the Malinke language of West Africa, the suffix “fola,” added right after the word djembe, works a bit like adding “-ist” in English (as in “guitarist”).So it’s more accurate to say “djembéfola” rather than “djembétiste.” That said, the term is usually reserved for players with a high level of mastery, not beginners.

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The djembe is a percussion instrument native to West Africa that is played with the hands. The musician strikes the animal or plant skin, which is stretched taut by ropes, from different angles to produce a variety of sounds. Widely used in African culture, this drum is still widely played today.

Medium-Sized Djembe

$599

Djembe Cat

$119

14-inch djembe

$699

Djembe Musical Instrument

$479

Small Djembe

$309

8-Inch Djembe

$389

$309

45 cm Djembe

$399

30 cm Djembe

$799

35 cm Djembe

$369

Djembe and Case

$699

High-Quality Djembe

$899

Baby Djembe

$149

Junior djembe

$289

Djembe Resonance Box

$209

Traditional Djembe

$209

Antique-Style Djembe

$419

Microphone for Djembe

$119

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What is a djembe?

A black man playing the djembe while sitting on the ground

This African musical instrument belongs to the percussion family, and more specifically to the membranophones.

The djembe consists of a cup-shaped shell (the body), which acts as a resonating chamber. A skin head is placed over this cup and is usually tightened using ropes and metal rings. A rubber coating can be added to the base for extra stability during play and to protect the instrument from impact.

This musical instrument therefore closely resembles a drum. It comes in several sizes, ranging from about 20 cm tall to around 1 m.

To play, simply strike the head with
your hands in different ways, holding the djembe between your legs with your thighs around the body or using a strap over your shoulder.

What sounds does this type of drum produce?

The djembe has an exceptionally wide sound range, with a variety of timbres that make it a rich and expressive musical instrument. There are three main sounds associated with it: the tone, the slap, and the bass.

Watch the video of a djembe musician to hear this instrument for yourself.

What are the origins of the djembe?

The djembe is an ancient instrument that dates back to the 13th century. It originated in the ancient Mali Empire (also known as the Mandinka Empire), which included present-day Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Gambia, and Côte d'Ivoire.

The first peoples of this empire believed to have played the djembe were the Malinke, Bambara, and Soninke. Originally, the instrument was called “dimmé,” which means “drum” in Soninke, a language still spoken in Mali. It later evolved into “djimbé” and, around 1970, became the word djembe we use today.

While no official source confirms this theory, the djembe is said to have been created by repurposing a mortar—essentially a bowl used with a pestle for grinding plants—and stretching a skin over the top.

At first, this African drum was mainly played at celebrations, such as births and weddings, to accompany dance. It then spread to other continents in the 1980s with the rise of African dance companies, which helped share African culture abroad.

What wood or material is this percussion instrument made from?

Much like the cabasa, another musical instrument, the body of the djembe has been made from many different types of wood over the centuries. Most often, it was carved from whatever wood was available locally. Traditionally, the most commonly used woods are iroko, mahogany, acacia, kola, and lengue wood.

The stretched skin can be animal-based (goat, antelope, sheep, calf, etc.) or synthetic (ABS plastic or PVC). While wood and animal skin are sought after for a traditional djembe, plastics have the advantage of being durable, low-maintenance, lighter in weight, and animal-free for this African instrument.

If animal welfare matters to you, discover our 100% vegan djembe, made with no animal-derived materials.

What do you call a djembe player?

A djembe player is called a djembéfola. In the Malinke language of West Africa, the suffix “fola,” added right after the word djembe, works a bit like adding “-ist” in English (as in “guitarist”).

So it’s more accurate to say “djembéfola” rather than “djembétiste.” That said, the term is usually reserved for players with a high level of mastery, not beginners.