Kora — Lutherie Encyclopedia

KoraType: instrumentA 21-string West African harp-lute built on a large calabash gourd, producing a rippling, harp-like sound central to Manding musical tradition.## History The kora is the signature instrument of the Manding (Mandinka) peoples of West Africa, with origins in the Mali Empire region spanning present-day Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and The Gambia. The instrument is traditionally played by jali (griots)—hereditary musicians who serve as oral historians, storytellers, and praise singers. The kora's exact origins are uncertain but likely date back several centuries. The instrument and its music have been passed down through family lineages of jali for generations. In the 20th and 21st centuries, kora players such as Toumani Diabaté, Ballaké Sissoko, Seckou Keita, and Sona Jobarteh have brought the instrument to international audiences, collaborating with jazz, pop, and classical musicians while maintaining the traditional repertoire. ## Construction The kora is built around a large calabash gourd (typically 18 to 20 inches in diameter) cut in half and covered with a cow hide that is stretched and tacked over the opening. A long hardwood neck passes through the gourd body, extending above and below. Twenty-one strings are attached to the neck with leather tuning rings and run over a tall notched bridge that divides them into two parallel planes—11 strings on the left and 10 on the right, played by the thumbs and forefingers of both hands. The strings were traditionally twisted antelope hide but are now nylon fishing line or harp strings. Two wooden hand grips extend from the sides of the gourd body. The player holds the instrume…