Bara (drum)
Spherical hand drum used in West Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The bara (Bambara: ߓߊ߬ߙߊ;[1] also called bendré)[2] is a spherical hand drum with a body made from a dried gourd or calabash, used in West Africa (primarily Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire,[2] and Mali).[2] Its single head is made of goatskin.[3] To make the drum, a dried gourd is cut on one end and a single head made of goatskin is stretched across the opening.[3] Bara drums come in various sizes, some quite large. The instrument is often used to accompany the balafon.[4][5]
A bara drum from Burkina Faso (there called bendré) | |
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Membranophone |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 211.11 (Kettle drum) |
| Developed | West Africa |
The bara has been used in the music of the Malian musicians Yaya Diallo and Habib Koité.[6]
