Cultural Practices and Expressions Linked to the "M’Bolon", a Traditional Musical Percussion Instrument

The "M’Bolon" is a musical instrument used in southern Mali. It consists of a large sound box covered with cowhide and a wooden neck in the form of a bow with strings.
It is equipped with small iron rings and is attached to the player's hand by means of a pad with ropes or an elastic band. The single- or double-stringed "M’Bolon" is used in popular occasions, ritual performances, and religious ceremonies, while the three- and four-stringed instrument is used to praise tribal leaders, in addition to celebrating the heroic deeds of kings, and accompanying farmers in the fields.
Individuals learn to use this instrument through vocational training and through local associations, and today the practice is threatened by several factors such as urbanization, waning youth interest, as well as some religions that prohibit traditional initiatory rituals and practices.

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Cultural Practices and Expressions Linked to the "M’Bolon", a Traditional Musical Percussion Instrument was inscribed in 2021 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Mali.