83 - Handmade in Africa – Kora

Master craftsman Seydou Kane creates a kora (also known as a West African lute or harp) in his studio in Dakar. The instrument has been sacred to the people of Senegal since the 13th century and is the principal instrument of the ‘griots’ – a caste of musicians and storytellers who are cultural custodians of traditional myths. Making a kora involves several intricate processes, from tightening the cowskin, to carving wooden handles and tuning the strings. The film culminates in a performance.