Our djembe Grandmaster: Late Mamady Keïta created an international djembe school called ‘Tam Tam Mandingue Djembe Academy,’ which is the largest school with teachers spread all over the world. I joined this league of extraordinary gentle-persons in 2014, which is when I passed my certified teacher test with Mamady himself. His teaching philosophy continues to inspire musicians globally, including those taking djembe lessons for beginners as their first step into the rich tradition of West African drumming.

Mamady would constantly share that the djembe knows no borders and that if we all thought like the djembe then there would be no war in the world. There would be peace. The djembe knows not whether the hands that are playing it are young or old, male or female, rich or poor… it only asks to be played with the right technique, love and respect. This philosophy continues to inspire everyone who wants to djembe learn to play in the traditional West African way, with authenticity, discipline, and heart. It also reflects the true spirit behind every drum circle activity, where people come together through rhythm, respect, and connection. As representatives of Mamady’s legacy at TTMDA, it is our mission to spread djembe the traditional West African way, the Mamady Keïta way, inspiring more people to learn how to play djembe drum with authenticity and respect for its roots. In August 2024, this is what we did as all the teachers gathered together for the first time after he passed in 2021. We had representation from China, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Italy, India, USA and more a Djembe United Nations of sorts.

Under the leadership of our Chief Kelvin Kew from Singapore, we got to experience the amazing djembe drum and dance community of China. This was a result of consistent hard work for 10 years. Ke from China, who also got his certified teacher status in 2014 along with his team of teachers in China, has really done an amazing job of cultivating a strong community of djembe drummers and dancers. Their dedication has also created opportunities for djembe lessons for beginners, helping more people discover and embrace this traditional art form. The growth of the drumming community inspires the dancers and vice versa. We planned a workshop for a week which would end in a performance where we would showcase a percussion show called the ‘Pyramid of Djembe’ followed by a drum and dance musical titled ‘Keita’ depicting the life of the late Grandmaster. Kelvin, Hiroki (certified teacher from Fukuoka, Japan) and Rumiko (African dance teacher) have started Asian All-Stars for Africa (AAA); a collective/performance company of drummers and dancers who have gone through rigorous training to earn their spot in the ensemble. Their performances continue to inspire those who want to djembe learn to play through authentic training, discipline, and dedication.

It was heartwarming to see such a diverse group of students from all over, united by the djembe. Many languages were spoken, but when it came to drumming, one language prevailed: that of rhythm. It was a reminder that people from different cultures can come together to learn how to play the djembe drum and connect through the universal language of music.

I’m personally looking forward to the time that we can host such an international workshop and performance in India. This is what Mamady wanted and could not fulfill in his lifetime. I hope it will also inspire more people to join djembe lessons for beginners and become part of this growing global drumming community.

The path to this will be to learn djembe consistently, widen one’s djembe vocabulary and build a scene. This will help us make space for more dancers to learn this high-energy, beautiful and earthy dance form. For anyone looking to djembe learn to play, this journey begins with consistent practice and a deep respect for the tradition.

I’m also personally training those candidates who want to learn djembe seriously and eventually become teachers who can spread djembe in their respective communities. The road is long but not unreachable. For starters, we have djembe classes in Pune (Baner and Kalyani Nagar) on weekdays and weekends for anyone looking to learn how to play djembe drum the traditional way. Learn djembe the traditional way with Taal Inc. School of Rhythm.

I’m very grateful to have had the chance to reconnect with my djembe brothers and sisters from TTMDA in KL, Malaysia recently. To pay this forward, with a heart full of rhythms, inspiration and gratitude, I promise to do my best to support the traditional djembe and dance scene in India by making djembe lessons for beginners more accessible to aspiring drummers and enthusiasts.

Come. Drum. Be One. 
Varun Venkit
Team Taal Inc.