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The Diabate Family Ensemble

Throughout West Africa, the name Diabate is well-known and synonymous with music. The Griot (called Djeli in the Manding culture of Mali) is the historian (the book), the bard, and musician of the society who keeps the history and culture of the people alive. The Diabate are a Griot family with a rich tradition dating back over eight hundred years, to the founding of the great Malian empire and the rule of the famous king, Sundiata Keita. One has to be born into a Griot family and over generations the Diabate family has passed down the heritage of their ancestor to each succeeding generation. They have become the master musicians who now have hundreds of songs in their repertoire and play the primary instruments key to the Griot tradition: ngoni (stringed lute), ballaphone (xylophone-like instrument), kora (stringed gourd), and various drums.

Additional Resources

Watch Past Performances

The Diabate Family Ensemble 3/23/02: The Diabate Family Ensemble

The Diabate Family Ensemble play traditional West African Djeli instruments and perform Malian music dating back over 800 years.

The Diabate Family Ensemble

The Diabate Family Ensemble play traditional West African Djeli instruments and perform Malian music dating back over 800 years.

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