Sabar Drum
The sabar is the single-headed drum at the heart of Wolof and Serer music in Senegal, its goatskin head lashed to a carved wooden body with a signature system of lacing and seven pegs. Woodworkers of the lawbe caste carve the shell from baobab or dimb trunks, while griot percussionists of the gewel caste build, tune, and play the drum with one bare hand and a curved stick. Sabar rhythms are named, and older players say 'the sabar can speak': bakks, rhythmic phrases matched to spoken Wolof, were traditionally used to announce news, praise people, and summon the community. The drums anchor bapti