Djembes are an African drum traditionally used by the Maninko (pronounced Mande-nko). On the banks of the Niger at the border between Guinea and Mali you will find Mande, the homeland of the Maninka people. This is the birth place of Djembes. Reportedly the word "Djem" (or more accurately 'jem') refers to the tree used to make djembes, while 'be' refers to goat, the hides of which were used for the drumhead.

Djembe is the French spelling of the Maninko word. During the French colonization of western Africa, many native words were recorded using the French Spelling. Today many Africans argue that use of the "Djembe" spelling is a sore reminder of that colonial domination of their heritage. Today, Africans and supporters of indigenous people have been developing phonetic spellings for various African dialects. In the culturally sensitive phonetic spelling the French "d" is dropped. However, the non-African spelling may be more appropriate when talking about a drum whose popularity is exploding on an international, inter-cultural, scale. Interestingly, the term Djembe was not popularly used in France. There, the African Drum is known as the Tom-Tom. They erroneously, believed that the Tom-Tom was constructed of a hallowed tree trunk, and beaten with mallets.

HISTORY OF DJEMBE:

Based upon the west African Mandingo tribal drums, the Djembe has it's roots in 13th century Mali Empire. From the stage all the way to drum-circles in the park, the Djembe is legendary for its incredible range and tone - with its sharp, piercing highs to deep, rumbling resonating bass, there just isn't a single hand drum out there with the versatility of the Djembe. It's unique ability to lend it's broad range to many different kinds of music make it a must-have tool for any a master or professional musician.

In 1985 Guinea took the lead in declaring its independence from French Colonial rule. From October 2nd, 1958 until 1984 Guinea was a dictatorship led by President Sekou Toures. His government was a patron of traditional music. The most famous government sponsored ensembles of the day were Les Ballets Africans and the Ballet Djoliba. Les Ballets Africans became the national ballet of Guinea and was well accepted on its world-wide tour. His authoritarian rule has ended but the world-wide interest in the African Djembes may be his lasting legacy. Unfortunately, though perhaps unavoidably, the ensemble created the disassociation of Djembes from the culture that created it. By necessity the ensemble's world tour tried to present a variety of songs, rhythms and instruments from a large area populated by a staggering number of cultural groups. In doing so, the world received the Djembe and not the Jembe. The traditional rhythms and dances that were unique to Djembe playing in villages, were replaced by performers playing a collection of instruments. In villages dancing-in-the-round was the norm. However for shows this would not do. Dancers were removed to lines that did not have occurred in the villages. While the world embraced the physical appearance and the sound of this Maninka drum, the heritage it symbolized was lost.

HOW TO PLAY AND CARE DJEMBES?

To play the Djembe, sit on the edge of a chair. Cross your ankles and tuck them slightly under you. Hold the Djembe between your knees or thighs so that the bottom of the drum rests behind your heels. Djembe players will find a wide range of sounds can be produced from this instrument.

There are commercial head conditioners on the market. However the best treatment for a skin head is use. The more a drum is played better for the head. The natural oils from your skin will help to keep the head in condition. If you find the sound going a little dull you can re-tune the head using the cords.

Never use harsh chemicals to clean your drum or the head. When not playing your Djembe Drum do not leave it in a car or vehicle. Keep your drum, like all instruments, away from sources of cold or hot air. Since the head and the body of this drum are natural materials, they will be affected by changes in heat and humidity; therefore try to avoid rapid changes in environmental conditions.

DJEMBES WE OFFER:

We offer varieties of Djembes in different designs and price range. Our Djembe comes in all designs available. We offer Nepalese Style Djembe and African Style Djembe. Though Djembes are introduced by African countries but you can still find Nepalese Style Djembe as interesting as African Style Djembe. There is not much difference between the two styles of Djembes; Nepalese Style Djembe and African Style Djembe, only the difference is the desin of the Djembe. Both Nepalese Style Djembe and African Style Djembes we offer are of excellent quality at reasonable price. This fascinating musical instrument "Djembe" is found enjoyed mostly in African countries. The Djembes we offer are beautifully decorated and have extraordinary looks. Though simple yet great Djembes at reasonable price are available in our stock. The Djembes are made from finest wood, leather and cotton rope. Our Djembes have perfect sound which come in excellent quality. Since sound is the primary concern so to be a good Djembe it has to produce perfect sound therefore our Djembes are selected and tested for a perfect sound. All our Djembes are tested, rechecked and selected for the quality and sound. Our Djembes are shipped within 12 hours of order received through DHL and reached to the customer within 5 to 6 business days after it is shipped. We also have Djembe Wholesale Offer. Please Contact Us for detail.