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This Glossary is a work in progress and open to input from all Djembe-L subscribers and friends of Djembe-L.  Please forward all info for the Glossary to HappyShel

ASHIKO:
Ashiko is a Yoruba word that means drum. Refer to long straight-sided drums originally carved from a single piece of wood, and headed using tacks or pegs.  Ashiko Construction

BALAFON:

The balafon, also known as gyile or marimba, originated from West Africa in areas now called Ghana, Guinea and Burkina Faso. They are used at funerals, festivals and celebrations to provide both melody and rhythm.

The keys of the balafon are made from male shea butter trees that have been dead for several years - it must have lost most of its natural oils. The wood is cut into planks and dried over fires built into the ground. The planks are cut into keys with a short handled axe. A sharp knife is used for fine-tuning; wood is cut from the middle to produce flat notes and from the end to create sharp notes. Gourds are then put under the keys to amplify their sound.

Bambara and Mande Language web Site (9/98)

to find the numbers written down in bambara. Have a look at bambara provers, a dictionary

Bàra = a generic term for "drum" in both Maninkakan and Bamanankan. "Bará" is a gourd drum, but the word also serves in  a generic sense.

Cowrie Shells:

"Djabara" is the Malinke word for a calabash rattle. It's made from a medium to small size calabash with a net of string and beads attached to its fat lower bout. The Djembe-L FAQ has some information about making these instruments.

Americans tend to use the word "shekere" for this instrument. "Shekere"  (I believe) is the name of the instrument in the Yoruba language. We call it shekere after the usage of Afro-Cuban musicians. The same
instrument is named "axaste" (a-HA-che) by the Ewe people (of present-day Ghana). The calabash rattle appears across the African continent and is known by many names.

In my transcription of Siwé on Paul's WAP Pages, I used the Malinke name for the instrument, rather than the more recognizable Yoruban one. It seemed to fit better to use all Malinke names for the instruments than to change languages mid-stream. The rhythm itself is from the Konyanka people, a close cousin-group to the Malinke. I do not know the Konyanka name for the instrument.  Courtesy of Adam Rugo

Djabara are gourd rattles; dried gourds of the right size, seeds and pulp removed, covered in a woven net of cord and seed pods or plastic beads. There are various techniques for playing them, the most common is to hold them in the right hand and strike onto the left leg (for down strokes) and up into the palm of the left hand (up strokes). Here's the rhythm as per Serg Blanc with the djabara part from Mamady Keita's version on the cd 'Wassolon':

         * . . * . . * . . * . .
Break    SsS s . T . t . s S . s
                         | |   |
all->    . . . . . . . . s S . s >>
         . . . . . . . . o o . o >>
         . . . . . . . . x x . x >>

         S . . . . s S . s S . . >>
         o . . . . o o . o o . . >>
         x . . . . x x . x x . . >>

Dj 1     t S . b S . t S . b S .
Dj 2     S . t T . . S . t S . .

Djabara  d . . d u . d . . d u . (d=down, u=up)

Dun 1    c . . o o . c . . o o .
Dun 2    o . c . c . c . o o . o
bell     x . x . x . x . x x . x
Dun 3    o . . . . . o . . . . .
bell     x . x x . x x . x x . x

Don't forget to use a mono-spaced font to view this notation. There's a picture of a couple of djabara in the liner notes of 'Wassolon' but there's bound to be pictures on the web somewhere.

I don't know why there is a tendency to disparage or disregard the importance of these instruments. In a traditional context skilled players who play cleanly and are tuned into the music are highly valued.
Above courtesy of Lindsay Rowlands <lrowland@metz.une.edu.au>

Djembe (Malinke), Sanbanyi or Yembe (Susu) - traces its heritage to the caste of blacksmiths that occupied the former Mali Empire by at least the 12th century and its shape to the mortar used to pound millet.  Carved from a single piece of wood with goat or antelope skin stretched across the open top, the three primary notes it produces cover a large sonic spectrum making it both a solo and accompaniment instrument.  Although fast becoming one of the most popular percussion instruments in the world, the djembe originates from the present day countries of Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso.

Djembefola are djeli.  It is the specific term for the djeli who play djembe - korafola if they play kora; balafola if they play balafon; doundounfola if they play doun doun, but that does not mean they are not djeli.  You are born into a djeli family of the Malinke ethnic group.  Since the time of Soumangourou Kante - the Soussou king of the Mali empire before Sounyata Keita about the 5th century - the name "balafola" started to be used.  (The person who brought the Balafon in the city was named Bala).  All Malinke are djeli - even if they don't sing or dance or play an instrument - even if they are a doctor or something else, they are still djeli.  That's their job, to keep the tradition.

the djeli is the keeper of culture and history
of Manding people...but beyond that they serve as healers, consultants, mediators, and master musicians...etc. djeli can be male or female.......the djeli will usually be a master of the bala or kora...and ntama(??) for women....there are several other instruments specific to female djeli. until very recently djembe fola were NOT djeli. the dance lamban is associated with the djeli.....djeli in Manding literally means "blood" griot is the French word for the same person......i prefer to use djeli when discussing this person..... there are several families in manding who are traditionally djeli....the leading djeli family is the kouyate (descendants of Bala Fasseke Kouyate) next in line are the Diabate families....further down is Conde.

DRUM - from Ritva Lundberg      :
My good friend Sulayman Njie is a Gambian linguist living in Sweden, he knows several West African languages. The correct word in Mandinka is "tang-tang". He said it was the whites who came to West Africa for centuries ago, who misspelled the word to "tam-tam" and that is what drumming has been called ever since -- incorrectly. Now I myself was forwarding a word ("tan-tan") which I had not heard peoperly -  it was in telephone, and so the history repeats itself! Don't trust anybody, don't trust any scripts, any books, any recordings! Go to Africa and see and hear with your own eyes and ears!! That is the only truth, and it is NOT written. And remember: also in Africa, there are many truths!
The best book I have read about Africa, is: Blaine Harden: Africa : Dispatches from a Fragile Continent (note: this book is out-of-print)

Dununs (dunduns) - Present traditionally as either two or three separate drums and said to have developed simultaneously with the djembe, this family of cylindrically shaped drums employ cow skins affixed to both sides and provide the rhythmic and melodic base for the djembe ensemble.  They
are each placed horizontally and played by striking the drum with a stick in one hand and hitting a bell, called Kenken, with a piece of metal in the other.  In some situations the dunduns are placed vertically and played by one person with two sticks.  The three drums from largest to smallest are called Dunumba, Sangban, and Kenkeni. a dounou is a dounou is a dounou, and djun-djun is the Wolof version of the word that for some reason has been adopted in America (and probably elsewhere).  Mabiba Baegne is in town, and was addressing this point just today in a presentation for children -- she said when she first came to America people kept talking about the "djun-djun" drums, and she had no idea what they were talking about until someone pointed one out to her.  She still refers to them as dounou, even if it takes some explaining. 

The lighter dounou played with a curved stick Zoran was talking about sounds like what Abdoul refers to as a djeli dounou, which I've always seen played slung over one shoulder. 

Happy dounou-ing!

Katrina Doumbia 
Boulder, CO
____________________________________

The spelling is actually irrelevant due to a general lack of native tribal written language.  The spellings are the result of outside influences writing the spoken word.  The *dj* in both *djembe* and *djun-djun* are both results of French influence.   e in America generally use the letter *j* for the first sound in words like *jump."   Occasionally the letter *g* serves the same purpose such as in words like *general.*  The only way I can spell out the way my teachers pronounces it is sort of a cross between dundun and doondoon.
The sound of the *u* is sort of the way it would sound in the word *would.*  He says this is how it was pronounced by his native African teachers.  BTW, I am not implying that what I am saying here is the absolute or only truth.   It is just what I was taught.

Scott Pivnik
 

___________________________

In addition, look at this picture of "Xasonke dunduns"   (Third or Fourth picture down ) taken in Mali by Eric Charry ...
http://www.wesleyan.edu/~echarry/jembearticle/article.html
__________________________

Moustapha Bangoura, from Guinea who is a native speaker of Baga and Susu laid it out like this:
Dunun = all three large drums that carry the melody;
Doumdoumba = the largest one
<http://www.drums.org/djembefaq/v8atable.htm#dunumba>;
Sangban = the middle one
<http://www.drums.org/djembefaq/v8atable.htm#sangban>;
Kenkeni = the smallest one
<http://www.drums.org/djembefaq/v8atable.htm#Kenkeni>.

Griot is the French word for Djeli which is a Malinke / Mandeng word.   In Fula (Peuhl) they call them "Nyamakale".  In Soussou, they also call them Djeli.  Rhythm of the Djeli is "Lamba."

A Djeli is a guardian of the traditions and customs in Guinea.  All the traditions and customs from the Mali Empire were kept by the Djeli and passed on from generation to generation.

Griots are a caste of people within Mande society who are responsible for the maintenance of oral traditions, both local and epic, in speech and song. Mande society (defined by a related group of languages) includes such modern ethnic groups as the Bozo, the Soninke, the Malinke, the Bambara, and many other peoples currently living in Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire and neighboring countries. Within court structures, griots supply a legitimizing narrative of rulers' genealogies and retain memorized records of their deeds. Today, many members of griot families have become pop stars both within West Africa and internationally. Others, at a more local level, perform at marriages and at the parties of wealthy local businessmen and civic leaders -- singing the praises of their hosts in return for financial contributions. Source PBS . http://www.pbs.org/wonders

Kora - A harp with 21 strings arranged on both sides of a notched bridge and used by the Jeli or Griot caste in Mande society in their roles of Chronicler, entertainer, and preserver of social customs and values.

Ksink Ksink
Come in a set of three, the Ksink Ksink are placed around the djembe head and provide a shaker-like sound while playing your drum. The Ksink Ksink are representative of the shields which were used to protect drummers during battle as they oversaw the battlefield and drummed messages to the soldiers. Available from Africa Alive. 

Papa Chuck Davis says that the "shiny" fans, as he calls them, have a another purpose, in that they are used to reflect the sun's rays onto the drum head to tighten it and keep the sound crisp.

Krinyi (krin) - This type of log drum originates in the forest region of south-eastern Guinea and consists of a hollowed-out section of tree trunk cut with slots at its opening.  It is played with two wooden sticks and
produces a variety of tones depending upon where it is struck.

Kirin - A kirin is a wood log carved from the inside out with 2 or three slits. In Guinea, the tree from which it is carved is called kirin. It's a white wood. I have also seen them carved from red wood or Khari. I have played it alone in the forest and realized that the birds loved it and
answered back. We had a great time.

Kirin was used to make calls and talk from village to village and calls for gathering. The masters I have seen play such as Mohamed Kemoko Sano and Lansana Dioubate play it really fast.

You strike it with sticks between the slits, on the wood as well as on the top edges for tempo.  It has a very beautiful sound. It is also light and you can take it anywhere with you.  - Orida Boukhezer-Diabate

Lamban, Lamba, Lambambaa, Lanbango, Lambango, Lambang, Jali, Jeli Foli, Jalidon, Dialidon, Diely-Don, Griot Rhythm

LENKE - Lenke is one of the traditional woods for carving djembes. There are several species: dougoura, jala, iroko, and others.  The kind of wood from which a shell is carved will affect the sound of the finished drum. But the shape of the shell, esp. the interior, will also have a big impact on the instrument's sound. I like a combination of lenke wood and a large diameter head and deep bowl to get that huge, resonant bass and fat tone sound. As you shop for a drum,  make sure to listen to each one as well as inform yourself about the type of wood and where the shell was carved.

Lyrics to Songs

MBIRA: 

The dzavadzimu mbira is a class of Zimbabwean mbira. Mbira are organ logically lamellophones, that is, musical instruments that produce sound via plucked metal tongues. They are often mistakenly referred to as thumb pianos, but I won't use that term here ;-). Pianos fall into a different category because the strings are hammered through an elaborate key mechanism, etc.
Go to a reasonable library and have a good read of The Soul of Mbira : Music and Traditions... by Paul F. Berliner, 1978 - it's a gem. Similarly there are very many good field recordings  {CD - Zimbabwe: The Soul Of Mbira} and undoubtedly others will have a better handle on this than me, though I can recommend Dumisane Mairere(sp) as a starting point.

These types of instruments are found in many sub-Saharan countries in various forms known by names such as kalimba, sansa, etc, but a mbira is Zimbabwean. Let's not get confused!
Cheerz,
Lynzz

Mbira Dzavadzimu means literally "Mbira of the Ancestors".   It is a traditional instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe consisting of a wooden board with 22-28 metal keys attached and usually mounted in a large calabash gourd resonator.  Both the gourd (deze) and the board (gwariva) usually have bottle caps attached to create a buzzing sound. 

Sansa, likembe, m'bira, kalimba- sweet sounds of Africa, plucked with your fingers from tines of steel, or (sometimes) cane. An instrument small enough to be cradled in your hands, full of soul, and songs, and stories. It will speak to you alone, or it will weave a spell around your friends. It will let you play the way you can hum to yourself, softly, but it can also be a conduit for ancient wisdom and knowledge in the hands of an Elder. Or, it can conjure a dance from a handful of notes... Crafted from wood, coco-nut, calabash, even a sardine-can, it is a music-box without the clockworks, simple, yet spirited, something you can play as you walk along the path, a friend to keep you company in lonely moments, a comforting voice to share with your own companions and friends!

Buy  "The Soul of Mbira" by Paul F. Berliner, 1978 , book!  
 {CD - Zimbabwe: The Soul Of Mbira}

Find a "thumb-piano", but know what it really is...

Let your heart sing!     Stream

Ngoma is a Congolese word that means drum (does anyone out there know what the dialect? Refer to long straight-sided drums originally carved from a single piece of wood, and headed using tacks or pegs.


 PRONUNCIATIONS:

Contributed by "Bongo Central"  August 1, 2003

Here are some African pronunciations, as I've heard Wolof people pronounce them. The stressed syllable is capitalized.
Djembe = Jem-bay
Ashiko = Ah-she-ko
Kutiro = koo-Ti-ro
Kpanlogo = kpahn-Lo-go
Bougarabou = boo-Ga-ra-boo
Sabar = sah-Bar or Sah-bar
Mbung-mbung = mBoong - mboong
Lambe = Lahm-b(uh)
Gorong = Go-rohng
Chol = Tchohl
Mbalax = mBah-lahkh (glottal stop 'kh', like clearing your throat..)
Dunun = Doon-oon
Djun-djun = Joon-joon
Kenkeni = Kehn-kehn-ee
Sangba = Sahng-bah
Mbira = m-Bih-rah
Kora = Ko-rah
Ewe = Ay-weh
Tama = Tah-mah

 Sabar Words:
       Drums:
             Nder                         -nDAY-r
             Mbëng-mbëng           -mBOOng  mboong
             Gorong talmbat         -GOHR-ohng TAHLM-baht
             Lamb                       - LAHM-b(uh)
             Xiin                           - KHREEN [glottal stop KH, like clearing your throat]
             Gorong babas            -GOHR-ohng BAH-bahs
             Suruba (sabar soose) -SOO (or SOH)-roo-bah

       Rhythms:
             Mballax                  -mBAHL-akh [glottal stop 'kh' like clearing your throat]

             Ceebujën                -TCHAY-boo-jen
             Ndëpp                     -nDJOOP [if I remember right]
             Gajarde                  - ? [This isn't familiar but it looks like a French pronunciation]
-Bob Fulbright



Seke-Seke - Bell shaped shakers comprised of small rocks or seeds housed in a woven burlap and leather covering and played in pairs.

Rhythm, "Sunguru Bani"
 sungurun = girl, young woman (before marriage)
 
 sungurun-ba = large/big/great young woman = (depending on context)
cute girl, prostitute 
sungurun-ba-nin = "little big girl" = (according to my information's from Bamako) a rather recent, urban popular song and rhythm. the rhythm (as played in Bamako) structurally resembles very much sigi-fòli, a
buffalo mask's rhythm from Wasulun.
Greetings, Rainer
 

Village n, satee Mandinka--

Additional African Languages in the order R Clark found them:

Woloff-- village n, dëkk

Baga-- -tae suffix indicates village EG Bagatae = village of Baga.

Swahili <http://www.yale.edu/swahili/>--
             village n, chengo.

             village n, kaya.

             village n, kiambo.

             village n, kijiji.

             village leader n, kiongozi cha kijiji.

             village n, kitongoji.

             village n, mji. capital city mji mkuu.

             deserted village n, tongo.

             village elder n, pazi.

             villager n, kishamba.

             fellow villager n, mkwao.

             villager n, mwanakijiji.

Afrikaans <http://www.freedict.com/onldict/afr.html>-- village n, dorp

Katcha-- village n, nya (na-) ('hill'), nodi ('houses')

Basa-Benue-- village n, u-shEpu

Susu - Village, n = nbara

Village in the Gambian Mandinka is- (  WULO-KONO-SATEO )


Wassakhoumba - the Soso name for an instrument made of small calabash discs of ever-decreasing diameters, strung onto a piece of curved wood. Shaken, the discs rattle together to produce a high-pitched sound that is used as initiation chant rhythm accompaniment in Basse-Côte, Guinea. Ancient Baga and Soso animist tradition has it that playing the Wassakhoumba purified the area reached by its sound. Uninitiated children and adolescents were forbidden to touch the sacred object—if they dared to, the discs would break! And if an uncircumcised child touched the Wassakhoumba, he would have to be circumcised without delay.

WOMAN - "Woman" in Wolof would be "jiguen," but "mane" (2 syllable, pronounced "maa-nay") in Wolof means something like "listen," or "look"
(like "Mira" in Spanish). So if the name of the rhythm is in Wolof it might mean something like "Listen!" or "Look!" in the sense of "listen to/watch this great rhythm/dance"? Might be a Wolof name given to a rhythm imported from elsewhere?
 

WOOD - Wood is one of the most important materials Akan use in their arts to express their thoughts. Wood is used to carve various items for household use as well as for ceremonial uses. Among the household items that are carved from wood include adwa (stool), akuaba (doll), dua afe (comb), poma (staff) to be used by okyeame (spokesperson or linguist) for either the abusua (family) or ohene (King).