The kora is a stringed instrument used extensively in West Africa, particularly by the Mandinka people. It is a 'bridge-harp,' featuring 21 strings stretched over a large resonator made from a calabash (gourd) covered with cow skin. The strings are arranged in two parallel rows, and the player uses only the thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck them. This allows the musician to play complex polyphonic music—simultaneously performing a melody, a bass line, and rhythmic accompaniment. The kora is the traditional instrument of the 'Jali' or 'Griot'—hereditary praise singers and oral historians who preserve the genealogies and stories of their people. Its sound is often compared to a harp or a flamenco guitar but with a unique rhythmic drive. Toumani Diabaté is perhaps the most famous modern virtuoso, bringing the kora to international concert halls and collaborating with Western artists.