Over the last few weeks, we have been introduced to the Djembe.  The Djembe is a goblet shaped drum made from wood and animal skin.  It comes from West Africa and is mostly used in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast.

To create sound from the Djembe, you hit the top of the drum with the palm of your hand.  When you do this, the skin vibrates and pushes air through the drum, bringing with it a low booming sound. This is called the Base.  If you hit the edge or the rim of the Djembe, it will make a higher sound.  This is called the Open Tone.

We have been practising both these sounds on the Djembe and we have been using ‘syllabic rhythms’ to help us.  Syllabic rhythms are another name for the rhythm of words.  We have been using the words ‘Spiral Galaxy’ and ‘Eight Planets’ and playing the Djembe to sound these patterns out.  One half of the class have been playing ‘spi_ral gal_ax_ies’ and the other ‘eight pla_nets’.  When we combine both rhythms together, we create a very effective sound.

We’ve also been practising with other African instruments.  We’ve been using the Doum Doum, which is a double-headed cylinder shape bass drum.  This is usually played along with the Djembe.  We’ve also been using the Caxixi (pronounced ‘ka-she-she’), which is a shaker made from straw and reeds and the Ghana Bell, which is one instrument made up of two bells.  When you strike the larger bell, it makes a lower pitched tone and when you hit the smaller bell, it makes a higher pitched tone.

We’ve enjoyed the classes so far and can’t wait until the next one.

By Primary 6