Drumroll, please: Time to create your Djembe!

Create your own Djembe drum and discover the rhythm of West Africa! This fun and creative activity introduces Scouts to the cultural history of the Djembe while crafting their own instruments from everyday materials. Get ready to drum, learn, and perform together in this hands-on musical adventure.

Before you begin

• It may be useful to make a drum before everyone arrives, so you can show them what they’re aiming for.

What is a Djembe?

1. A Djembe (pronounced ‘jem-bay’) is a drum originally from West Africa.
2. People play Djembes with their hands.
3. According to the Bambara People in Mali, the name of the Djembe comes from the saying ‘Anke djé, anke bé’, which translates to ‘everyone gather together in peace’. The saying also explains a bit about the drum’s purpose.
4. If anyone’s completing their SIA badge with a different instrument, they could bring their instrument in to play along (or to show two songs they know at the end)

Chat about drums

1. The Leader should ask everyone if they can name any countries in Africa. They should help people think of a few, for example, Kenya, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria, and so on.
2. Explain that Djembes are drums from West Africa. Everyone should work together to figure out which of the countries they named are in West Africa (for example, Nigeria and Ghana).

Make a drum

1. Use masking take to stick the bottoms of two cups together.
2. Decorate the cups with colouring pens and pencils. Why not try using symbols and colours inspired by an African country?
3. Tie an elastic band loosely where the two cups join. It should be over the masking tape.
4. Lay a plastic bag or balloon out flat. Put a cup upside down on the bag and draw a circle around it using a marker pen. A few people will be able to use each bag if you’re careful. They may need to take it in turns.
5. Take the cup away and draw a larger circle around the circle you’ve just drawn. Don’t worry if it isn’t a perfect circle.
6. Cut carefully around the bigger circle with scissors. It’s okay for an adult to help with this.
7. Put the plastic bag circle on top of the drum. Pull the plastic tight, and use another rubber band to hold it in place. Don’t worry if it’s a bit tricky – this is a great time to work in pairs.
8. Cut a fairly long piece of string.
9. Tie one end of the string onto the rubber band in the middle of the drum.
10. Loop the string up and underneath the top rubber band, then pull it so it’s straight and tie it on with a knot.
11. Keep zig-zagging the string around the drum, going over and under the two rubber bands and tying knots to secure it in place. Don’t worry if you run out of string (or want to use more than one colour). Just trim the string after you’ve tied it to an elastic band, then tie the new piece of wool on next to it and keep going.
12. If anyone wants to, they could create a handle by looping a piece of string from the rubber band around the top of their drum to the one around its middle.

Rhythm time

1. Everyone should gather in a circle.
2. The Leader should play (or clap) a simple rhythm
3. Everyone should repeat it back on their drums.
4. Take turns playing a rhythm for everyone else to copy.
5. Practise together.
6. Perform to an audience such as parents and carers picking them up at the end of the evening or to another group.
7. It’s up to you whether your performance just contains songs, or whether people play rhythms for everyone to copy too.