Editing Djembe (section)

=== Shell ===
Traditionally crafted djembes are carved from a single log of hardwood. A number of different wood species are used, all of which are hard and dense. Hardness and density are important factors for the sound and projection of the djembe. The most prized djembe wood is ''lenke'' (''[[Afzelia africana]]''), not because it necessarily sounds better than other woods, but because the Malinké believe that its spiritual qualities are superior. (Malinké traditional wisdom states that a spiritual energy, or ''[[Blacksmiths of western Africa#Mande blacksmiths|nyama]]'', runs through all things, living or dead.<ref name= 
"MM">{{cite book|title=Mande Music: Traditional and Modern Music of the Maninka and Mandinka of Western Africa|first=Eric|last=Charry|publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=2000|isbn=978-0-226-10161-3}}</ref>) Besides lenke, traditional woods include ''djalla'' (''[[Khaya senegalensis]]''), ''dugura'' (''[[Cordyla africana]]''), ''gueni'' (''[[Pterocarpus erinaceus]]''), ''gele'' (''[[Prosopis africana]]''), and ''[[iroko]]'' (''[[Milicia excelsa]]'').<ref name="Woods">{{cite web |first=Michi |last=Henning |title=Djembe Woods: What You Need to Know |url=http://djembefola.com/learn/articles/djembe-woods |access-date=January 19, 2012 |publisher=djembefola.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103141203/http://djembefola.com/articles/djembe-woods.php |archive-date=January 3, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy }}</ref>

[[File:Djembe - Inside Spiral.JPG|thumb|alt=Spiral pattern on the inside of a well-carved djembe made of djalla wood. The spine of the skin is clearly visible through the hole in the waist|Spiral pattern on the inside of a well-carved djembe (djalla wood). The spine of the skin is clearly visible through the hole in the waist.]]

Shells are carved soon after the tree is felled while the wood still retains some moisture and is softer. This makes the wood easier to carve and avoids radial splits that tend to develop in logs that are allowed to dry naturally.<ref name="Drying">{{cite book|title=Kiln-Drying of Lumber|first1=Roger B.|last1=Keey|first2=Timothy A. G.|last2=Langrish|first3=John C. F.|last3=Walker|year=2000|publisher=Springer|location=Berlin|isbn=978-3-642-59653-7}}</ref> Carvers use simple hand tools, such as [[axe]]s, [[adze]]s, [[spoke shave]]s, and [[rasp]]s to shape the shell.<ref name="Sunkett DVD">{{cite video|title=Mandiani Drum and Dance: Djimbe Performance & Black Aesthetics from Africa to the New World|publisher=White Cliffs Media|location=Tempe, AZ|first=Mark|last=Sunkett|medium=DVD|year=1995|others=Companion DVD to the book}}</ref><ref>{{cite video|title=Djembé Spielen Lernen: Herstellung, Geschichte, Tradition|first=Ursula|last=Branscheid-Diabaté|year=2010|location=Neusäß, Germany|publisher=Leu-Verlag|language=de|medium=DVD}}</ref> A well-carved djembe does not have a smooth interior but a texture of scallops or shallow grooves that influence the sound of the instrument. (Djembes with smooth interiors have tones and slaps with too much sustain.) Often, interior grooves form a spiral pattern, which indicates a carver taking pride in his work.