Senegal

Senegalese-Mande

Wood, Hide, Nylon Strings, Brass Tacks, Calabash, Iron Ring
ca. Mid-20th century
Length: 58 inches
Chordophone – Bridge-Harp – Plucked

“Fnak” signed on neck

21-String Kora from Senegal with two-column bridge (10-11) and tuning pegs. Excellent condition with nice patina from use. Kora players, referred to as “Jeli/Griot,” are traditionally from griot families (historians, genealogists, and storytellers). The kora is found throughout Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and The Gambia.

Among the Mande peoples of the western and central Sudan, kora and other stringed instruments  accompanied the epic narratives of jeliw (singular jeli), a class of bards who are retained by wealthy patrons to chronicle family histories and propagate stories of heroic ancestors. A hereditary position, jeliw remain intimately linked to the same families for generations and serve as living repositories of chronicles passed down through time. As revered keepers of family history, they are often called upon to act as intermediaries during disputes among relations. Like other traditional musician jeliw employ music to help them recall and organize the extensive amounts of information with which they are entrusted. The social role of jeliw has remained much the same in contemporary Mande society, although their patronage has undergone some significant changes. Many jeliw now perform for general audiences, while others are employed by individuals who have met with success in the postcolonial era. 

Source:   Kora | Senegambia | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)