The Djembe is a West African Drum originating in the ancient Empire of Mali which stretched over the countries known today as Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, The Ivory Coast and even as far West as The Gambia and Senegal.

The Djembe is played, with the Kora (Manding Harp) and the Balaphon (Manding xylophone) by Griots who traditionally played for the King and his court. They are people who know the history of all the families of the Manding Empire and were employed to "big up" the king before great challenges.

No celebration is complete without Griots to play and sing and bless the occasion. Many of the popular West African musicians today still hail from Griot families.

The Djembe can now be found all over the world. It has travelled far from its roots as it has such a powerful voice and a language all of its own which is understood by people worldwide.

The School's aim is to explain the language of the Djembe, how it speaks in the Rhythm and converses with the bass drums; the Dundunba, the Sangban and the Kenkeni. The school also aims to increase people's knowledge of the traditional dance which accompanies djembe music. We provide a programme of regular dance workshops for adults given by visiting artists click here for dates of next workshops.

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