Balafon

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The balafon is a pentatonic or heptatonic xylophone of West Africa. The Susu and Malinké people of Guinea are closely associated with it. Famous balafon players include El Hadj Djeli Sory Kouyaté, Gert Kilian and, early in his career, superstar Mory Kanté. It usually has 18-21 keys. The keys are cut from rosewood, and suspended on a bamboo frame, over gourd resonators of graduated sizes resulting in a continuous nasal buzzing sound due to small holes of spider paper in the gourds. Some balafons can be played sitting down, while other, larger balafons are played while standing.

In West African society, only people with permission may play balafons. Also, there it is an exclusively male instrument; no women are allowed to play it.

[balafon]

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