African Drum Ensemble at KU (ADEKU)

Led by Dylan Bassett, the African Drum Ensemble at KU, known by its acronym ADEKU, is a performing ensemble made up of KU students and community members. Each semester they perform throughout the region. ADEKU was created in 2007 by Khalid El Hassan, the Associate Director of the Kansas African Studies Center, through a grant from Chancellor Hemenway that funded the purchase of instruments. ADEKU performs traditional music from three main areas in West Africa. We play rhythms from the ancient empire of Mali, which today encompasses areas of Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, Cote D’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. In this tradition they play djembe, dunun and djabara. They also play sabar drums from the Wolof of Senegal, which include four different drums: mbeung beung, nder, tungune, and chol. And finally they play twinshin, atoke, and axatse from the Ga people of Ghana. Each semester they explore approximately 10 different traditional rhythms.  

Learn more about upcoming performances by visiting the ADEKU Facebook page.  

Goals and Objectives of ADEKU

• To provide a venue for KU and the greater Lawrence community to create a drumming community and learn to play traditional West African rhythms
• To participate in African and international cultural events organized at KU and in the Lawrence community
• To provide multi-cultural awareness education for the KU community
• To promote African cultures, African Studies, and African languages at KU
• To provide outreach for KU to area schools, the public, and at-risk youth

Outreach

• Ongoing classes for the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence