The Wooden Body of the Ngoni Carved by Local Blacksmith (Numu)

The ngoni is the predecessor of the American banjo. In this series, the makers of this instrument are members of the Diabate family of Segu. They are members of the occupational and social group referred to as griots but known as "jeliw" (jeli in the singular) by Bamana speakers and are found throughout the greater Mande cultural region. Among many other tasks, they are responsible for the making and playing of certain kinds of instruments, including the ngoni, and the performance of the related repertoire of songs and tunes.