The djembe is a goblet-shaped hand drum traditionally associated with the Mandé peoples of West Africa, especially Guinea and Mali, where it was long used to accompany dance, ceremonies and community gatherings. Its patterns are built from bass, tone and slap sounds played with bare hands, and each rhythm often carries a social or ceremonial purpose. As African drumming ensembles toured and taught abroad, these patterns spread into schools, studios and online videos, where creators now use short loops for dance, fitness and cultural content.