Mossi musician with drum called bendre, performed only at the court of Moro Naba Kougri, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

The bendre is made from a large calabash that has been hollowed out. After the top is cut open, it is covered with an animal skin that is held in place with leather straps. A leather cover protects the skin, the centre of which is coated with a resinous product. The most noble of all instruments, the bendre has always been reserved for the court of the emperor and the leaders of the provinces. It is responsible for recalling the heroic deeds of the dynasties and the virtues of the Mossi people. The drum reminds the chief that he must be impartial, modest and brave. The entire Mossi mosaic is found in the bendre, which is an instrument of social cohesion. Moro Naba Kougri became the 34th Moro Naba (Mogho Naba) in November 1957. During his trip to Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Elisofon visited the Mossi people near Ouagadougou. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.