Bonkolo

[bubudi]

the bonkolo is an ancient drum of the bambara (bamana) people and is believed to predate the djembe. also known as binimini, it has a conical shape and is tuned with a combination of pegs and a complex rope system. and is usually played with hand and stick, although sometimes it is played with bare hands. normally two or more bonkolo are played together with the bara (small bowl shaped drum, usually made from a calabash), kunanfa - a large bowl shaped bass drum (usually carved from dugura wood) and a gangan (small dunun). the kunanfa is also known as a tion (pronounced 'chun'), however this term refers to a number of bass drums, including the baridunun (aka didadidunun). this video is from segou.





the bonkolo is also played by the bozo and somono people. the somono are not an ethnic group, but a mix of families of fishermen. the bonkolo ensemble in these groups generally doesn't include the baridunun or the kunanfa.

[rachelnguyen]

I love how the drummers seemed to be 'stalking' the dancer, LOL. That was great.

Also, interesting that the bass drummer was using his hands, not sticks. I wonder if it is a goatskin head?

[bubudi]

yea that was some nice authentic celebration from the bamana heartland. the bare hand technique is common on the kunanfa. it has a cowskin on it.

[VagabonTribe]

very cool. don't see much about the bonkolo on the net. You can see more about the bonkolo at www.malikan.com

[Dugafola]

there's lots of bonkolo on KSK's Bari Ensemble disc.

another good one is on Sega's Wassulun Fenkorow...the track is called Kanu.