Anke dje Anke Be

“Anke dje anke be” is a saying from the Bamana people that roughly translates to “Everyone gather together in peace.” The purpose of this project is to explore the deep culture and history behind instrument making. When I was researching the history of the djembe, I discovered that the making of the drum was spiritual, and the maker was obliged to make offerings to the spirits of the trees he cut down. The blacksmiths (who were commissioned by the musicians to make the drums) believed that the drum contains three spirits, the spirit of the tree that the shell is from, the spirit of the cow of the hide used, and the spirit of the musician the drum was made for. The carvings on the surface are created based on who the drum is made for, so I designed my carvings on my own personal aesthetic.