The Kora is a unique string instrument from West Africa, primarily used by the Mandinka people of Gambia, Senegal, and Mali. It is a 'bridge-harp' that features 21 strings stretched over a large resonator made from a hollowed-out gourd (calabash) covered with cow skin. The strings are arranged in two parallel rows, and the player uses only the thumb and index finger of each hand to pluck them. This allows the musician to play complex polyphonic music, where one hand plays a bass line and the other plays a melody simultaneously. The Kora is the traditional instrument of the 'Jali' (or Griot), who are hereditary storytellers and keepers of oral history. Its sound is often compared to a harp or a flamenco guitar, providing a delicate yet rhythmic foundation for epic songs.