Traditional Tam-Tam Drum Making in Adjarra

Known as the 'City of Drums', Adjarra is West Africa's preeminent hub for traditional percussion instrument making. Here are carved, stretched, and tuned the sacred drums of Benin: ritual Vodun instruments (Kpété, Bata, Sakpata-houn), royal court drums, and festive community rhythm ensembles. In vibrant workshops echoing with the rhythmic tap of gouges and adzes, master carvers hollow out selected hardwood logs (gmelina, iroko, or mahogany) to sculpt the resonance chambers. Animal hides (goat, antelope, cow) are stretched tightly across the rims with braided leather cordage and wooden tuning pegs. Visiting the workshops provides an exhilarating sonic demonstration of traditional polyrhythms and reveals how each drum serves as a musical conduit communicating between people, nature, and ancestral spirits.