Album 04: Madi's Djembe Workshop September 2010

These photos are of Madi Camara in his workshop near Serrakunda in The Gambia, West Africa. Madi is originally from Guinea and travels there every year to get shells for the drums he makes. Once he has received the shells he goes to work on them, putting on a goat skin and smoothing the surface of the shell. The work is very physical and takes a lot of patience. Once the hair has been shaved off the goat skin and it has been tightened with the rope, it is ready for playing.