Traditional Djembe Rhythms of West Africa 

LIST OF RHYTHMS
Name of Brief meaning of the Free Origi-
Rhythm rhythm Downloa nal
d Solo

Abondan A rhythm played for x

king

Baga Gine A song about a woman x

who couldn’t help but
dance with the rhythm

Balakuland- Balakulandjan: a long x x

jan legged bird bringing
happiness and children

Denadon A welcome rhythm be- x

fore the Mendiani fes-
tival

Djabara A rhythm of greeting of x

guests of the village

Djagbe A circle dance, per- x

formed by men and
women together

Djole A mask dance repre- x x

senting a woman by a
man

Donaba Donaba means “great x

(woman) dancer”

Dunungbe This is known as the x x

oldest and important
rhythm of Dununba
family

Fankani Welcoming rhythm for x

important visitors to
the village

Gine Fare Yogui is a mask of a x

(Yogui) young lady with firm
breasts
Gine Fare literally
means “Woman’s
dance” in Susu

Kadan This is a dance for the x x

bilakoros (non-circum-
cized children)

Kakilambe Kakilambe is an impor- x x

tant mask which ap-
pears only once a year

Kassa Kassa is a harvest- x

dance. The word means
granary

Kassa Soro Kassa Soro has the x

same history and is
played for the same
reasons as Kassa

Konden 1 Konden is a mask which x

dances (Wassolon
region)

Konden 2 Konden is a mask which x

dances (Kurussa
region)

Kuku Originally, Kuku was x

played when the
women came back
from fishing

Lamban A rhythm for Djeli (Gri- x

(Djelidon, ot), West African poet.
Djelifoli,
Lambamba,
Sanja)

Mendiani Mendiani is a rhythm x

and a dance for the
vergins, the young girls
from age six to thirteen

Moribayass This rhythm is played x

a exclusively for the joy-
ful dance of a woman
who has overcome a
difficult situation

N’Goron This rhythm was played x

after the initiation of
the girls

Sinte Celebration rhythm x

originally played by
large krin, a cylinder-
shaped wooden
instrument

Sofa Sofa means “warrior.” It x

was played to praise
warriors for their suc-
cess and bravery

Soko This rhythm is played x x

at announcement of
circumcision

Soli des This rhythm is played x

Manian before the initiation for
boys, as well as girls

Soli Lent The rhythm Soli accom- x

(Soli slow) panies the rituals of ini-
tiation and
circumcision.

Soli Rapide The rhythm Soli accom- x

(Soli fast) panies the rituals of ini-
tiation and
circumcision.

Sorsornet Sorsornet is one of the x

masks which were seen
as bringer of good luck
and considered to be
almost deities

Sunun A popular rhythm x

(Gui) played at all popular
festivities

Tiriba The rhythm is named x x

after a great male
dancer, Tiriba.

Toro This rhythm is played x x

at a big fire in a camp,
where children learn
things to become an
adult.

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+LIST OF RHYTHMS+

ABONDAN

BAGA GINE

BALAKULANDJAN

DENADON

DJABARA

DJAGBE

DJOLE

DONABA

DUNUNGBE

FANKANI

GINE FARE

KADAN

KAKILAMBE

KASSA

KASSA SORO

KONDEN 1

KONDEN 2

KUKU

LAMBAN

MENDIANI

MORIBAYASSA

N’GORON

SINTE

SOFA

SOKO

SOLI DES MANIAN

SOLI LENT

SOLI RAPIDE

SORSORNET

SUNUN

TIRIBA

TORO

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