Our African drums are carved just outside the village in Ghana, overseen by two Ghanaian brothers that we have worked in close relationship with for 5 years. Through our work in the UK we have helped develop this small local business grow. We fairly trade with them and through sales and our charity we support the local tribes' families, workers & schools.

Ghana and the Ghanaian people are full of energy, vibrancy and have a deep love of the spiritual and of the Earth's natural resources. This is expressed through their attention to detail, excellence towards their work and through the beautiful & meaningful Akan carvings on the drums.

Originally from Mali or Guinea, the jembe dates back to at least 500 A.D. The jembe (or now known, thanks to the French, as Djembe) is found in Senegal, Mali, Sierre Leone, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Burkina Faso, as a sacred drum used in healing ceremonies, rites of passage, ancestral worship, warrior rituals, as well as social dances.

The djembe was named after the materials that are used to make the drum. First, the jembe was carved out of a chunk of the 'Jem tree' (a very dense wood found in Mali). Then the drum had a 'Be' (goat) skin stretched over the top, thus the name jembe. Traditionally, the djembe is played standing with the drum between the legs and supported with a shoulder harness or knelt over by the player with the drum lying on the floor. It is played with both hands, and sometimes has rattling tongues attached to the rim that jingle as the drum is being played. The variety of sounds that can be obtained by the different ways of beating the djembe covers a broad sonic spectrum. It is used both as a solo and an accompanying instrument.

The djembe is also known as the 'healing drum' because of its history as a tool in African healing traditions because of its powers when played by master drummers. African people also call it the magical drum since it has the power to make people dance and to transport people into other worlds when played well.

Position - The djembe is normally played in a standing, seated or kneeling position. When standing you will need to use a strap, stand or sash. If using a strap/sash the drum will lie/rest between your legs or to one side; make sure you can comfortably reach the centre of the drum with your palms without moving your shoulders. You may choose to use a djembe stand, which will take the load off your shoulders and feet but wont give you the expression/movement of oneness when playing. When playing from a seated position the djembe will rest between the legs, inclined away from the lap slightly with only one edge of the bottom rim touching the floor. This opens up the hole so as not to obstruct the bass.

The djembe makes three common sounds, the bass, tone, and slap:

* Bass - With a stiff wrist allow an open, relaxed palm to hit the centre of the head and bounce off. To reduce overtones make sure the palm of the hand is hitting the centre of the drum. This is the foundation of the rhythm and to begin with, you should try the bass beat played on the 1 and the slap on the 3.

* Tone - With a firm hand and fingers together play closer to the rim of the skin. The hand should make contact with the rim of the drum at the knuckles, and the weight of the hand on the skin should be between the 2nd and 3rd knuckles of your fingers.

* Slap - With a looser hand strike the head, making contact with the bearing edge just below the knuckles toward the palm whilst the fingers slap at the edge of the skin. The emphasis of weight/speed is on the end of the fingers which is created by the strike of the palm on the rim. You don't need to play harder to get the slap, you just need to refine the technique.

Each one of these sounds can be changed by adding open and closed skin techniques. To muffle the sound (closed) rest the non striking hand on the skin before or just after the strike to stop the ringing. If the strike of the beat, whether bass, tone or slap is left to ring out it is said to be open.

Transport and Exposure - Although your drum is very durable you should avoid exposing it to the elements (direct sunlight, extreme heat or cold, dampness, rain, snow, etc.). Also avoid rapidly moving the drum from one heat or humidity extreme to another. If you need to take your djembe to a different altitude (ie air cargo) always loosen it a bit to relieve tension and to avoid breaking/straining the skin. Although we use good quality, thick goats skin it is the most fragile part of the drum. We do recommend our Handmade, fitted Djembe Bags.

Cleaning - Your djembe may be cleaned with a damp cloth, but don't apply cleansing agents or other cleaning tools. Avoid playing with dirty hands or leaving your drum exposed to sand or soil.

Maintenance - Under normal circumstances your djembe skin does not require any oils, leather treatment or moisturisers to keep it in shape; the natural oil from your hands should be sufficient. The wood of your Djembe has been dried before carving but as all wood tends to continually dry out slowly over time, we recommend keeping it hydrated periodically using linseed oil, palm oil, or coconut oil. You should not need to do this more than once a year at most.

The cedar wood is harvested and hand selected for assured quality and durability for drum making from our regenerative plantations.

The wood is then dried for an age, to reduce the risks of swelling and cracking of the shells.

The wood is then cut into different log sizes and the body of the drum is carved out of the single, solid log. At each step the carving of the drums shell becomes less crude. Using machetes and hatchets they shape the log into a rough outline. Then after hollowing the log a more detailed shaping, makes the body smooth and flowing. The whole process is done using a time-honoured tradition and tools to assure the high authentic quality. (not seen in the Kambala, European finished, Djembe)

The welder fastens 2 metal rings around each djembe, using an old but functional welding device

The drum now ready for the wood carvers to hand carve the various tribal designs into the neck and belly of the jembe. This is where the personality, skill and passion of the artist comes to life. The detail and care of this process adds priceless value to the drum as it starts to form the drums character.

The wood is then treated with a clear oil or coconut stain to protect the wood and enhance its beauty and artwork.

To ensure comfortable playing and protection to the skin, from sharp points or splinters, the bearing edge (the surface against which the goats skin tightens) is levelled, rounded and smoothed.

Two techniques are used to rope the drums. The 1st is spaced looping using a triangle formation creating the verticals. The 2nd is continuous looping ('double roped') which gives a more precise and greater tension distribution for a deeper bass sound and brighter slap.

The skins are selected from healthy older goats and are inspected for holes and tears. The skin is soaked in water and then scraped using a razor to remove hair and stubble. It is wrapped between the head and crown rings and light tension is applied by pulling the verticals. Great attention is given to the equal distribution of tension. The skin is dried before full tension is applied. Once the skin has dried a final inspection of the taught skin is done and then the roping is fastened off with extra tuning rope wrapped around the base.

Every six months we travel over to spend time with our master carvers and their team loading the container ready for shipment. Each drum is inspected and loaded by ourselves to ensure quality control and secure packing. This also cuts down the amount of shipping handling by foreign bodies. The container is then put on a boat and transported to the south of England, through customs and delivered direct to our warehouse in the south west were we unload the drums photograph them and put them onto our website for you to purchase.

Until its independence from British colonial rule on 6 March, 1957, Ghana was called the "Gold Coast", a name given it by early Portuguese explorers who first set foot on the shores of the country in 1471. The name aptly described the country's wealth in gold and natural resources, which include to the present day: Rich mineral resources such as gold, diamonds, manganese, bauxite, iron ore and various clay and salt deposits. Extensive, rich forests with a wide range of fine tropical hardwoods. A wide variety of agricultural products and rich fishing resources. Unique tourist attractions, including beautiful landscapes, inviting sunshine, golden beaches, wildlife parks, the country-side with its rich cultural heritage, and the proverbial warmth and hospitality of the people. During various periods from the time the Portuguese discovered gold in 1471 to independence in 1957, the monarchs of several European kingdoms, notably Denmark, England, Holland, Prussia and Sweden sent hordes of explorers and merchants to the country for its abundant wealth, both natural and human. They battled for supremacy and control over the land, and built forts and castles which also served as trading posts. Remnants of the extent of European colonial presence and concentration of activity in the country are evidenced by the fact that 29 of the 32 European colonial forts and castles dotted along the coast of West Africa are in Ghana.

Ghana is located on the west coast of Africa, about 750 km north of the equator on the Gulf of Guinea, between the latitudes of 4°-11°5' north. The capital, Accra, is on the Greenwich Meridian (zero line of longitude). The country has a total land area of 238,533 sq. km and is bounded on the north by Burkina Faso, on the west by Côte d'Ivoire, on the east by Togo and on the south by the Gulf of Guinea. The land area stretches for 672km north-south and 536km east-west.

The coastal area of Ghana consist of plains and numerous lagoons near the estuaries of rivers. The land is relatively flat and the altitude is generally below 500m, with more than half of the country below 200m. The Volta River basin dominates the country's river system and includes the 400km Lake Volta (the largest artificial lake in the world), formed behind the Akosombo Hydro-Electric Dam. In the north, the predominant vegetation is savannah and shrub, while the south has an extensive rain forest.

Ghana has a tropical climate, characterised most of the year by moderate temperatures generally 21-32°C (70-90°F), constant breeze and sunshine. There are two rainy seasons, from March to July and from September to October, separated by a short cool dry season in August and a relatively long dry season in the south from mid-October to March. Annual rainfall in the south averages 2,030 mm but varies greatly throughout the country, with the heaviest rainfall in the western region and the lowest in the north.

The population of Ghana approximately 19million. The country, with ten regions, has on average a population density of about 78.9 persons per square kilometre, with an annual growth rate of 2.6 per cent. Most of the population is concentrated in the southern part of the country, with the highest densities occurring in urban areas and cocoa-producing areas.

Ghana's principal ethnic groups are the Akan (Twi and Fante speaking), the Guans, Ewes, Dagombas, Gas, Gonjas, Dagaabas, Walas and Fafras. There are 56 Ghanaian dialects of which Akwapim Twi, Asante Twi, Fante, Dangbe, Ewe, Kasem, Gonja, Dagare, Ga Dagbani and Nzema are the major languages. The official language of the country is English. French and Hausa are two major foreign languages spoken in the country.