Babuma

/bəˈbuːmə/ noun

Definition

A drum or percussion instrument from Central African traditions.

Etymology

From Bantu languages of Central Africa, where similar terms refer to various types of drums and percussion instruments.

Kelly Says

Instruments like the babuma show how African music has whole categories of sounds that European languages don't have words for—so when the drum got collected and brought to museums, even its name usually got lost or mispronounced!

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