Kakilambe (Djembe & Dunun Demo)

Ethnic: Baga
Region: West Guinea
Kakilambe is known to have been the most important spiritual mask of the Baga. Its rhythm is played every year when the mask appears from the forest to the people in the village. This would be the time when the mask would make important revelations about the present and the future. A priest of the mask would interpret this information, for the mask does not speak directly to the people. The Baga people look to Kakilambe as their god. Thus, it is a big day when the Kakilambe mask appears and everybody would come to listen. When everyone bowed, the mask would grow up to a height of five meters tall. Ropes are attached to the mask with the other end of each rope held by a member of each family. The Kakilambe mask is also known to fight bad spirits in order to to protect the villagers and their harvests. Today, Kakilambe is no longer played in villages but Mamady teaches this rhythm so its story and tradition are not forgotten.