The Djembe Drum

The Djembe Drum - also spelt jenbe - is a West African percussion instrument that is gaining popularity, not least because of the work of Ben Harper. Many of the people who buy and play djembe drums today - or simply appreciate the music - probably have little or no idea of their origin and significance.

A popular brand of Djembe in the west today is that made by Remo.

What Is A Djembe?

The djembe is a single skin African drum that resembles a chalice in shape. Some people have likened its appearance to a mushroom. It is designed to be played with the hand.

A key point about the djembe is that the base as well as the "cup" is hollow. This produces additional resonance and helps give the drum its distinctive sound and variety of percussive sounds. The drum is traditionally carved from one piece of wood and covered with goatskin.

The drums are made in a variety of sizes ranging from around 6" to 18" in diameter. Very often a large and small djembe are played side by side, the small djambe acting as accompaniment. Dunun drum bells are also often used as well.

Exactly where the djembe originated is uncertain, it has been attributed to various places such as Mail and Guinea.

Devil Drum

The djembe is also known as the Devil Drum - the wood from which it was traditionally carved was dimba, "devil wood".

The first djembe was said to have been given as a gift to a genie from a djinn. The drum is said to encapsulate three spirits. First there are the spirits of the tree from which the drum was carved and of the animal which provided the skin. Finally there is the spirit of the drum's maker.

The djembe is central to the musical tradition of peoples such as the Malinke. It is used to play music associated with various animals such as the antelope, the hyena and the buffalo.

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