Plant story
Afzelia africana
Afzelia africana seed pod, an over-exploited species from, amongst others, Burkina Faso (Photo: W. Stuppy)
Afzelia africana, the African oak, is a widely distributed species in Africa, from Senegal to as far East as Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. This species is a large tree, up to 25-30 m in height. It has a spreading and open crown with large branches. The tree is of the pea family and is known to have a mutualistic symbiosis with at least 37 ectomycorrhizal fungi species. Although it is a widespread species, it has declined in population numbers and is now classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of species. This is mainly due to the threat of over-exploitation for timber on the international market.
This species is used as an ornamental and produces high quality timber, which is termite resistant. More importantly, A. africana is used in West Africa to make African drums (‘djembe’), which are now exported in large numbers for the international market. The wood is also used for construction, furniture, cooking utensils, canoes and for charcoal.
'Djembe' drum from Burkina Faso
The traditional djembes are hand-carved with one piece of log of "afzelia lingue" wood, with geometric decoration. The drumhead is made with skin of he common African goat, and is tuned with a single interlaced rope of great resistance, with the help of iron rings. These djembes are being made by expert African musicians, using Afzelia africana as the best materials.
Story by Moctar Sacande