When one thinks of instruments ‘inspired’ by the ngoni, the banjo or the guitar is usually the first to come to mind. However, many Malian artists have been able to alter and ‘defy’ the traditional connotations that are associated with the ngoni.
ngoni
A look at the world of music created by the Ngoni
Famous Ngoni Players
The ngoni (or xalam) is said to be the most ancient of the jeli instruments: in an fRoots interview, Bassekou Kouyate, Mali’s most famous ngoni-playing jeli, states, “It is the first instrument of the griots, so ultimately the ngoni is the source of all griot melodies…
Ngoni: Construction, Tuning, and Playing
Common regional/ethnic names: bappe, diassare, hoddu (Pulaar), koliko (Frafra), komsa, kontigi (Hausa), koni, konting (Mandinka), xalam (Wolof), molo (Songhay/Zarma), ndere, ngoni (Bambara), and tidinit (Hassaniyya Arabic).
Playing and Construction:
The ngoni is a simple lute constructed with a wooden body acting as a sound box. The body is oval-shaped and is covered with cattle hide.