Word of the Day – Kora

The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp instrument used extensively in West Africa. Built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck, the skin is supported by two handles that run under it, and it supports a notched double free-standing bridge. The instrument is played in Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali,Senegal, Burkina Faso and The Gambia.