Definitions for "Dunun"
Literally meaning "lower drums," they are from highest in pich but smallest in size, to lowest pitch and largest size: the kenkeni, the sangban, and the big dununba. The double sided cow or goat skinned cylindrical barrel is held horizontally and played with a wooden club while the other hand can optionally play a metallic kenken bell with a metal stick. Some other names used are djundjun, junjun, diun diun (in Sénégal), doundoun (in Guinea), and dondoumba, based on the musical role of the instrument in the ensemble and also the size of other dununs present.
(also written as dundun, doundoun, djun-djun) usually played in sets of three graduated bass drums originally made of a wood shell with cow or goat skin heads. Today people also build them of metal, fiberglass and even PCV. The dunun originated in the Mali empire along with the djembe.
( dou nun) also know as djun djun and dun dun are a set of three straight sided bass drums that form the bass line of the djembe orchestra. The smallest is called kenkeni, the middle one is sangban and the largest is called dununba. They each have a cow skin head on both ends, and often have a metal bell attached to the side. They are played with two sticks or with one stick and a metal striker on the bell. Dunun are both carried and played horizontally and rested on the ground and played vertically.