African Made Djembe

African Drums Origins Explained

African drums have been around for centuries and have been a cultural part of the African tribes when it comes to their ceremonial gatherings. These various different types' of drums are also used to stir and call upon the ancestors.

Drums are also frequently used by other tribal peoples such as the Native American, Incas, and Aztecs etc. and there are a variety of different drums such as the djembe drum and talking drums as well as dunun.

The djembe originated from West Africa and often has a metal sheet included for the purpose of amplification. This drum is made from goat skin and the drum structure is shaped similar to a large goblet and is played with a person's hands only. The djembe is also known as yembe and sanbanyi. Many different tones can be produced due to the shape of the drum as well as the goat skin.

When playing an African drum slapping the skin closest to the rim will produce a tone and if you slap the center of the drum it will produce a bass sound. The different tones of the African drums will depend on the different techniques used. Striking produces a tone and slapping produces a high pitch. In addition there are tribes such as the Aborigines that make use of a Didgeridoo in addition to the drums, which has now become a popular instrument among westerners.The drums of Africa also have been categorized into genders such a male and female. The djembe for instance is also said to retain three spirits. The head of the drum represents the spirit of the animal, then the drum also contains the spirit of the maker, and the base of the drum is the spirit of the tree and has been termed as a magical drum. In addition the dunun is made from cow hide or goat hide and the base of the drum is made from wood shell.

The African Drums nowadays are far more advanced and are made from PVC, fiberglass or metal. The heads of the drums are still made from animal skins, but really do not produce the same sound as the handmade traditional drums which come from the Mali or Manding Empire of West Africa which date back to 1247 and 1600.

A medieval West African tribe known as the Manden Kurufa constructed the djembe which is still used today by the tribe as well as westerners.

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You can find more info on other musical instrumenst sucha s the Didgeridoo on the net for free. And if you want to buy some original, top notch quality African drums check out our store.

African Made Djembe

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