Djembe
/ˈdʒɛm.beɪ/noun
A goblet-shaped West African hand drum traditionally carved from wood and covered with animal skin.
Did you know?The djembe is strongly associated with Manding musical traditions of West Africa, especially among communities in Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire; claims that its name definitively means “everyone gathers in peace” are popular but not securely established.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Manding languages
jèmbè / jenbe
“A goblet-shaped hand drum; the exact original form and internal word structure remain debated.”
19th Century
French colonial usage
djembe
“A French-influenced spelling used to represent the Manding drum’s name.”
Early 20th Century
French
djembé
“A West African drum, described in ethnographic and musical writing.”
20th Century
English
djembe
“A West African hand drum adopted into English musical vocabulary.”
Modern English
English
djembe
“A rope-tuned, goblet-shaped drum played with the hands.”