A kora, typically has 21 strings, which is played by plucking with the fingers and thumbs.
The Kora is a West African harp of the family of bridge harps or harp-lutes. The kora is built from a large calabash, cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck. The skin is supported by two handles that run underneath it. It has 21 strings, each of which plays a different note. These strings are supported by a notched, double free-standing bridge.
The sound of a kora resembles that of a harp, though when played in the traditional style it bears resemblance to a guitar played using the flamenco or Delta blues technique of plucking polyrhythmic patterns with both hands (using the remaining fingers to secure the instrument by holding the hand posts on either side of the strings). Ostinato riffs (“Kumbengo”) and improvised solo runs (“Birimintingo”) are played at the same time by skilled players.
and the more famous Diabate family of Kora players from Mali:
Another Malian player
The Kora is found in all Mande cultures. It is played by the Mandinka in Gambia, Senegal and Guinea Bissau, the Malinke or Maninka in Guinée, the Bambara or Bamana in Mali and the Dioula in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Though, it’s Gambia and Casamance (South Senegal) where it has the greatest importance for social life.
From Gambia:
The best way to describe kora playing is to listen (and watch).
Listen and watch Ballake and Sona together :
Kora players have traditionally come from jali families (also from the Mandinka tribes) who are traditional historians, genealogists and storytellers who pass their skills on to their descendants. Though played in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso, the instrument was first discovered in the Gambia. While those from neighbouring Guinea were known to carry the lute, Senegalese Griots were known as carriers of a hand drum known as the Sabar. Most West African musicians prefer the term “jali” to “griot,” which is the French word. “Jali” means something similar to a “bard” or oral historian.
Traditional koras feature strings, eleven played by the left hand and ten by the right. Modern koras made in the Casamance region of southern Senegal sometimes feature additional bass strings, adding up to four strings to the traditional 21.
Strings were traditionally made from thin strips of hide, such as cow or antelope skin. Today, most strings are made from harp strings or nylon fishing line, sometimes plaited together to create thicker strings.
History
In the 1300s, the traveller Ibn Battuta mentioned that the women who accompanied Dugha to perform were carrying bows that they plucked. He did not mention the number of strings, but this clearly shows the existence of harp instruments in 14th century Mali and could be the earliest written reference to the kora.
Seckou Keita ,as a modern Kora player, loves to work with other artists such as Baaba Maal and Catrin Finch(traditional Welsh Harpist)
And a new fusion, as Seckou plays with Cuban musician Omar Sosa:
Toumani Diabate also loves working with a wide variety of musicians, such as the wonderful Ali Farka Toure:
and here is Toumani playing with his son ( Sidiki) :
and a very international collaboration, with Ketama and Danny Thompson:
It seems that Kora players find their niche with many styles of music and musicians,take a look at this more classical collaboration: