Djembe (Form of a drum):
The djembe instrument has been with the African culture for a very long time, however the exact beginning is not clear. There are evidences that the instrument was present during the 13th century during the formation of the great Mali Empire. Also has origins from the Malinke and people of Susu as well which today they are better known as Bamako which is former Mali and Kankan former Guinea.
The first carvers of this wooden instrument are a professional blacksmiths called the “numu.” In african history there is a story that the actual creator of Djembe was a woman. While she was pounding the millet the bottom broke and she covered it with goat skin, therefore the goblet shaped of the djembe still the same as the mortars used by African women.
African traditions only allow certain classes of people to be able to play certain types of instruments. For example the Kora, ngoni and bala are for the “jeli” who are the professional musicians. However, the djembe does not have any restrictions. The best djembe players come from numu also the Mande society. Djembe has spread to Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Senegal and the most recent country yet is Ghana.