Now Viewing: Drums and Dance

The djembe, common throughout all of West Africa, is a skin-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet. The drum is said to contain three spirits: One from the tree, one from the animal that gave its skin, and one from the drum-maker. In the past, rural villages used the djembe to communicate with each another. Today, it is the music that brings people together to perform traditional African dance — a vibrant, energetic style of dancing.