| Traditional African entertainment makes use | | | | The music is performed on state occasions and |
| of a wide variety of musical instruments, all | | | | festivals. There are three parts to every |
| made out of materials found in nature. These | | | | performance: 1) drum music 2) pipe interludes |
| instruments include drums, gongs, bells, | | | | 3) vocal counterpart of the pipe tunes. There |
| harps, flutes and xylophones. In African | | | | are eight pieces to each performance. The |
| culture music, dance and song go hand in hand | | | | pieces are identified by the name for the |
| and to separate them into distinct categories | | | | type of drumming and dancing done, by the |
| is virtually impossible. Music, dance and | | | | commemorative name of the event or by a name |
| song is also an inherent part of each culture | | | | that is indicative of the participants. |
| and is so much more than a mere form of | | | | |
| entertainment, it is part of their lifeblood | | | | The most popular and well know traditional |
| and is intrinsic to their way of life. Today, | | | | musical instrument is the djembe drum. The |
| even though many Africans no longer live a | | | | drum comes from West Africa where it plays an |
| traditional life but have fully adopted | | | | integral part in the areas musical traditions |
| western cultures and western influences, they | | | | and culture. The drum is goblet shaped and |
| still retain an inherent love for music, | | | | covered with animal skin and is meant to be |
| dance and song. | | | | played with your bare hands. The Bamana |
| | | | people in Mali say that the name djembe comes |
| Some traditional African dances that are | | | | from the saying "Anke dje, anke, be" which |
| still popular to this day include: | | | | translates to "everyone gather together" and |
| | | | thus neatly defines the drum's purpose. |
| Agbaei, which is a flirtatious, social dance | | | | |
| of the Krobo of Ghana. According to the oral | | | | The combination of the drum's goblet shape, |
| history of the Krobo, the elders started the | | | | skin covering and density mean that it is |
| dance when they realised that the youth in | | | | capable of producing a wide range of tones, |
| their settlement were having trouble with the | | | | from a high sharp sound produced from a slap |
| whole courtship process. They created the | | | | to the round full bass tone. In order to |
| dance so that the young men and women of the | | | | achieve the right sound it is important to |
| village would have to participate in the | | | | focus or disperse your hand's energy by |
| dance and therefore learn some tips that | | | | positioning it in the correct place. Striking |
| would help them in real life situations. | | | | the drum with your fingers and palm towards |
| | | | the centre of the drum will produce the bass |
| Bamaaya means, "The river (or valley) is wet" | | | | note, while striking the drum near the rim |
| and is the most popular dance of the Dagbamba | | | | with the fleshy part of your palm will |
| people in Northern Ghana. These days it | | | | produce the tone and the slap. |
| serves as a dance for a variety of social | | | | |
| occasions such as festivals, national day | | | | The djembe drum is believed to contain three |
| celebrations and even funerals. It began, | | | | spirits: 1) the spirit of the tree from which |
| however, as a religious musical performance. | | | | it was made 2) the spirit of the animal from |
| The dance requires a great deal of fitness | | | | whom the skin cover came from and 3) the |
| and flexibility as there is a lot of waist | | | | spirit of the instrument maker. Legend has it |
| movement and twisting. When it first started | | | | that the djembe drum and the tree that it was |
| it was a dance that only men could take part | | | | made from was a gift from a Djinn or |
| in, the women did the singing, praise | | | | malevolent Demigod. A djembe drum is properly |
| shouting and encouraged the dancers. Now both | | | | crafted if it is made from a single piece of |
| sexes can take part in the dance. | | | | hollowed out tree called Dimba or Devil Wood. |
| | | | If it has been glued together from slat or |
| Yeve is a Stone or Thunder God that falls | | | | segments then it is believed that the soul of |
| from the sky during or after a rainstorm. The | | | | the tree doesn't reside there. |
| people who believe this belong to one of the | | | | |
| most secretive and powerful cults in the | | | | The djembe drum has gained in popularity |
| South Eastern Ewe territories in West Africa. | | | | worldwide since the late 20th century. Drum |
| Yeve music has a unique structure that | | | | circles are especially popular as team |
| identifies it as separate from other Ewe | | | | building exercises for corporations or |
| music. Yeve music has a suite of seven to | | | | businesses. In order to get the complete |
| nine dance forms or movements and each | | | | experience, however, one needs the whole |
| movement is related to a specific phase of | | | | ensemble and not just the djembe drums. The |
| worship. | | | | entire cast includes bells, and dunun drums |
| | | | with individuals playing different parts that |
| Kete is a dance form that is found in the | | | | all intertwine to form a beautiful whole. |
| royal courts of Akan communities. It is only | | | | There is usually a lead djembe drum player |
| performed if the chief's status is such that | | | | who plays rhythms and signals the beginning |
| he is entitled to be carried in a palanquin. | | | | and end of a piece. |