The Khassonké (CAH-KES-SON-QUE) are an
ethnic group
An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...
of
Mali
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
's
Kayes Region
Kayes Region ( Bambara: ߞߊߦߌ ߘߌߣߋߖߊ tr. Kayi Dineja, ) is one of ten first level national subdivisions in Mali called Regions. It is the first administrative area of Mali and covers an area of . Its capital is the town of Kayes. The ...
. Descendants of the
Fula and
Malinké Khasso kingdoms, they speak the
Khassonke/Xaasongaxango language, a
Manding language similar to
Bambara.
Their traditional musical instruments are the
dundunba (a big cylindrical drum with two skins), the jingò (a small cylindrical drum with two skins), the tantanwò (a small drum), the tamandinwo (an ''aisselle'' drum), as well as
lute
A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.
More specifically, the term "lu ...
s and
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
s and hunters' whistles.
External links
Khassonké resource site
ethnologue.com:Khassonkékhassonke music, song, and dance
Ethnic groups in Mali
Kayes
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