Bobo Diolaso balafon (local shipping only)
Bobo pentatonic balafon (Hauts Bassins region, Burkina Faso)
The old griots of the Senegal River Valley say that Sumaoro Kanté, the defeated King Soso, has been playing his old balafon among the ruins of Kumbi Saleh for a thousand years. He has been beating his eighteen sheets of wood for a thousand years, his gourds have been ringing for a thousand years waiting for times to change...
But... what the heck is a balafon?, some will ask, and the answer is simple: a balafon is a resonator and pentatonic xylophone that is used in much of West Africa to celebrate festivities or announce a mourning (that is a xylophone because it is a percussion instrument made up of between 16 and 27 wooden blades or keys; it is resonator because the sound is amplified by gourds; and it is pentatonic because it presents a succession of five notes within an octave).
The one we have at Black Market is the balafon with large gourds, wide blades and deep sounds that curves and rises towards the lowest keys, following the fashion of Bobo Dioulasso. It has eighteen sheets of wood (mansonia heartwood) and as many gourds equipped with a membrane (so that they vibrate like a kazoo) mounted on a wooden frame.
Length: 135cm; Width: 61cm; Height: 38 cm
| Material: Wood, pumpkin and ropes |
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FAQ
Our shipments are made with tracking and, almost always, with several shipping options so that you can select the one you prefer. If the product still does not arrive, we would contact the carrier to resolve the problem. In 'about us' - 'FAQ' you will find a link to the tracking information of your shipment. You will also receive an email with the link.
You have 30 days to return it. Once the return has been received and examined, we will proceed with the refund.
We use the best packaging. Even so, more fragile products are shipped with insurance. If the product arrives broken, it will be returned and your money will be refunded.
It is unlikely, since the organic material has been properly treated and is delivered with maintenance instructions. In any case, you have 30 days to return it.
We have several shipping options, some of them express. In any case, if you need a very urgent shipment, contact us and we will do our best to meet your request.
We offer free parking for one hour to customers who make a purchase. It is located at Joan Miró, 65, under Remigia Caubet Square.
We have published business hours that we strive to adhere to. If you do not have time available at that time, you can request a personalized appointment. If you find the store closed during business hours, there is a phone number you can call (+34 630 49 16 72) and it is very likely that we will be there within 5 minutes.
In the physical store we have many more products than on the website and it is worth coming to visit it. If you can't come, contact us. We also accept orders.
At Black Market we are not antique dealers. Nor do we intend to appropriate the different and very diverse cultures that have existed throughout Africa. At Black Market we offer, however, a selection of all the art generated by men and women that, in many cases, we admire and know personally.
Send us a photo of the room you want to decorate and we can offer you suggestions.
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