Saint Paul Public Schools


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Balafon from Burkina Faso

A balafon is a framed xylophone played by the Maninka or Mandeng people of Africa. It usually has from 16 to 20 tuned wood bars, with calabash (gourd) resonators below the bars. The resonators have holes cut in them, over which cigarette paper is stretched so as to make a buzzing sound when the wood bar is struck. The balafon is believed to date from the time of Sunjata, the legendary founder of the Mali Empire in the 13th century.

The Balafon was used in religious ceremonies to establish contact with the invisible world. Traditional musicians wont play the Balafon unless they are wearing protective amulets to repel bad spirits that are attracted by this sacred instrument.
Balafona are also used to accompany Griot in talling the history of the community.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balafon History of the Balafon