djembe

Meaning

Noun

• A large, rope-tuned, skin-covered drum played with the bare hands, used in West African and some fusion music.

Origin

• From French djembé, from Mandinka jembe which derives from the Bambara language, "djé" is the verb for "gather" and "bé" translates as "peace." As a result, "Anke djé, anke bé" which translates to "everyone gather together in peace" and defines the drum's purpose.