 |
|
|
Click to subscribe to Djembe-Ireland
Djembe Ireland
The Djembe
How to Play
Rhythms
Djembe Care
Rhythm Healing
Drum Circles
Resources
Links A-Z
Shop
What's on
Other Links
The Djembe, pronounced gem-bay, is a hand drum that comes from West Africa. It is possibly one of the most popular drums of an ethnic nature in use today, people are finding its unique and versatile sound, and ease to play almost irresistable. Drum Circles, communities, and people realising the importance and power of rhythm in their lives can be seen everywhere.
It is believed to have originated in Mali around 900 b.c. with the Manlinke tribe. However some historians believe that the djembe comes from Senegal, the local belief being a legend which tells of a hunter who encounters a sprit playing the djembe, who gives it to the hunter to share with his people, telling him of its immense power. Guinea is also mentioned as a possible birthplace for the djembe, however, one thing is certain that wherever it hails from it is an important part of West African culture.
It is found mostly in use today in countries such as Guinea Senegal Mali, Ghana, etc. Each region, playing their own Rhythms in djembe ensembles, which may also feature other instruments like the Djun djun, Balafon, Shekere etc, many of thes rhythms have become popular, both on recordings, and non-African performing groups, rhythms such as Kuku, are played in Many parts but in different ways. Other rhythms that have become poplular are Sokho, Djole, Kakilambe, and of course Dunumbe to name a few.
The Djembe is known through these parts and by the peoples as a healing drum, with great power, and is used in sacred rituals, births, marriages and deaths. Like "western" or "european" music, West African djembe playing has its own structure, and form which unlike western music is almost impossible to convey through conventional means such as transcripts or notation. These pieces are more or less the music of a people, and culture, the lives and events and circumstances in everyday life,an "expression". Some rhythms may be very sacred in one country, and not played at all in another.
For western people or "non-africans" to play the djembe well, or to attempt to play any of these rhythms, convention and rigidness which is so apparent in our music, has to be forgotten. African music is all about the expression of spirit, of real life, they don't believe or adhere to the "3 minute pop song".As most people will tell you, practice is essential, to master or "discover" the sounds, and the rhythms, using instruction CD's, Videos etc, but NOTHING is a substitute for a real teacher
Just as we have our "famous" or well known names in our music, West African music also has names synonymous with the djembe, names such as Camara, Keita, Konate, to name a few. Fodeba Keita is possibly the man most responsible for bringing the djembe out of West Africa, in the 50's he toured a group known as "Les Ballets Africains", or the African Ballet, around the world. Featuring many famous names, Arafan Toure, a personal friend being one. This group since then, have been doing performances, worldwide, helping to promote and make people aware of West African music. Have a look at their website.(link down)
A Poem about the Djembe
O Drum of mine,
Who knows my hands,
Speak to me of times ancient
Speak to others of my voice
Let my pain and passion
Run through you and from you
Let the voice be one of healing
Of love, of power and strength
O great universe full of rhythm
Fill me with your knowledge
So that my hands will know and play
The ebb and flow of the tide
The waxing and waning of the moon
So through me and from me
Mother earth can be heard
Through the beating of my drum
I want to stand alone yet follow
To create yet imitate
The secrets of the past
The knowing of now, that whatever
Rhythms that I may play
Let them not be mine or anyone else's
Let them be…..
Be pure, be simple, be healing, be me
I want to declare to the setting sun
To the waves in the ocean
To the face on the moon
That I, am so deeply in love with
The drum
And that my attention to rhythm
Will flourish, with every beat of my heart
And each day that I live
I want to give face, to one of the
Universes greatest mysteries
Yet greatest truth
Rhythm
