Intangible Cultural Heritage
Cultural practices and expressions linked to the balafon of the Senufo communities of Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire
The balafon of the Senufo communities of Mali Burkina Faso and Côte dIvoire is a pentatonic xylophone known locally as the ncegele The ncegele is composed of eleven to twentyone keys of varying lengths made of wood and arranged on a trapezoidal frame also made of wood or bamboo The instrument has calabash gourd resonators of varying sizes arranged beneath the frame proportionally to the keys The gourds are perforated and the holes are covered with spiders eggsac filaments to enhance the sound The tuning of the ncegele is based on a division of the octave into five equal intervals and the sounds are produced by striking the keys with wooden sticks with a rubber beater fitted to the end Played solo or as part of an ensemble the musical discourse of the balafon is based on a range of multiple rhythmic melodies The ncegele provides entertainment during festivities accompanies prayers in the parishes and in sacred woods stimulates enthusiasm for work punctuates funerary music and supports the teaching of value systems traditions beliefs customary law and rules of ethics governing society and the individual in daytoday activities The player first learns to play a childrens balafon later moving on to fullsize balafons under the instruction of a teacher
Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire -