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Kora
Mali
Made by Babili Kanouté
1996
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Audio Excerpt
Music: Timbiri Winsé, Ouagadougou,
Burkina Faso, 2000, Coll. C.Bégin, video 8mm,
Canadian Museum of Civilization
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The kora, an instrument typical of West
Africa, has features common to the harp and the lute. It is found among
the Malinke people of Senegal, Guinea and Mali, and is also played in Burkina
Faso and the Ivory Coast. The body of the instrument is made from a gourd or
calabash that has been cut.
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A support for the bridge is set across the opening
and covered with a skin that is held in place with studs. The leather rings
around the neck are used to tighten the 21 strings that give the
instrumenta range of over three octaves. The kora is Africa's
most sophisticated harp.
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In traditional society, the kora was played at the royal court. Today,
it is heard at weddings and baptisms, and in restaurants. It is also found
in modern orchestras.
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The kora's repertoire is expanding rapidly; it is a source of inspiration
for contemporary musicians, who continue to produce new works. Kora can be
played alone or with instruments such as the balafon, the guitar or the
djembe. In Mali, Senegal, Guinea and Gambia, they are used primarily by the
griots, professional musicians who are members of a caste.
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