Djembepaja is dedicated to promoting and disseminating the
West African djembe tradition.

Djembe courses are offered for all the levels, from childrens’ familiarizing workshops to illuminating guidance suitable for professional musicians.

Registered trademark Djeliba Djembe quarantees environmental friendly, high quality instruments. Djeliba Djembes are selected from the best wood-material (Master Drummers prefer balafonwood, diala, dugura, iroko, lenke and redwood only), and carved individually. These drums are finished with the finest professional touch by experienced drum-makers who take pride in their handicraft.

Djembepaja has launched a program and opened a special account for tree-planting in Burkina Faso. Every sold Djeliba Djembe -drum will contribute to planting of trees around the village where the wood was cut down. Please feel free to contribute, local inhabitants will value greatly every support we can offer. Donors will be announced at the Djembepaja web-site.

Instrument service mends and changes drum hides with tested experience. Bring your instrument over and you’ll hear it sound like it has never sounded before!

Djembepaja is renown for the accompaniment of African Dance. Long-time experience in working with Finnish teachers and visiting African artists quarantees new dimensions to the dance classes.

Djembepaja also continues the documentary film project, and has won several International Film Festival Selections and a Honorable Mention.

Last but not least, Djembepaja makes ongoing research on West African Music Traditions. Aakusti’s University Degree has gained appreciation of Finnish Academic Quarters because its long-lasting and interactive fieldwork. The research has been awarded twice.

This website serves as a forum for distribution of information, contact and further research.
Our aim is to increase understanding of African music
and to create dialogue on the basis of articles and other writings.

All are welcome to participate

The founder of the Djembepaja – The Djembe Music Spot of Finland, Aakusti Koskela alias Aleksi Oksanen, is a musician and a researcher of West African music culture. He continues to write articles to various publications, and has directed a documentary film on djembe tradition in Burkina Faso.

Aakusti currently studies with the Burkinafasoan master drummer, griot and djembefola Ousmane Dembele, alias Zoumana, with whom he has a close master-apprentice relationship. For more information, see Aakusti’s Curriculum Vitae.