Culture Connection

West_africa
Map West Africa

West Africa’s diverse ethnic and cultural groups produce different music, dance and art from country to country. In general, West Africa is most famous for the powerful rhythms of its song and dance, and for its animated carved masks that are sold in shops all over the world.

Sounds

From Ghana’s highlife to Senegal’s mbalax (pronounced m-ba-lakh) to Mali’s griots (pronounced gree-ohs), West Africa has an amazing music scene:

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West African talking drum

Talking Drum:

The talking drum, an instrument used to send messages in a rhythmic “drum language” that imitates speech, came from West Africa. It was once banned in the Americas since slave owners couldn’t decode the musical messages being relayed.

Djeme:

West African djembe (pronounced gem-bey) drumming is known and loved all over the world—you might even be able to find one at your local music store.

Shared Rhythms:

Many of the sounds of West Africa were carried around the world during the slave trade. Today genres like jazz, blues and reggae trace their roots to the rhythms of the region.

Art

Masks have special significance in West African culture. If you’ve ever seen West African art before, it might have been in the form of a mask. Though other kinds of art, like wood carvings, bead work and weaving are also popular, masks are one of the most significant art forms in West African culture.

The Dogon and Bobo people are both known for their elaborate masks and dances.
Masks aren’t made to hide the wearer—the mask carver tries to capture personality in the mask so that it comes through on the outside.
Masks are seen as a way to make a connection between the real world and the supernatural—they bring the inner magic out in the wearer.