African Music Factsheet

Africa is a continent below Europe. It is the second largest continent in the world and its area is 30 million square kilometres. 15% of all the people on earth live in Africa. The equator runs through the middle of Africa so this part is very hot, but because Africa is so big there are also cooler areas and even icy parts!

Family life is very important because it is the focus of community life. Community life is very important to the way that people live in West Africa as most things are done together in rural villages such as producing food, goods and items to trade. People usually get up at sunrise and come home at sunset. After a family meal, people usually gather together to chat and make music.

Music is important because it is performed as part of a group and this gives time for African people to gather together to share. Musical instruments are also believed to have spiritual connections. Some instruments are said to contain the spirits of important natural resources that are found around rural villages and are used in every day life such as trees and animals.

Djembe

This is a hand drum made of one piece of wood and covered with animal skin at one end. The other end has a hole for the sound to come out. The drummer can make many different sounds from different ways of playing it. The inside of the drum has a carved out spiral and this is changed in size to create different tones.

Dun Dun (Doon Doon)

This is sometimes called a ‘talking drum’ and is an hour glass shape. It has animal skin that covers both ends of the drum and is played with a hooked beater. The drum is held under one arm and the drummer will squeeze the drum whilst hitting it with the beater to create different tones which sound like it is talking.

The sabar was used to communicate with different villages using special rhythms. It is played at special occasions such as festivals for people to dance to. The drum is made of wood and is covered at one end. The drummer plays the sabar by hitting the skin with his left hand, his right hand has a stick that hits the skin to create syncopated or off-beat rhythms.

Bougaraboo

These hand drums are similar to a djembe but taller. They are mostly played with hands but sometimes played with one hand and a stick. These are sometimes called African Congas.