Playing the djembe forms an integral part of almost every festival celebrated by the Malinke, and is almost always accompanied by dance. Each traditional djembe rhythm and dance can be associated with the festival or occasion of which it forms a part. The music played on the djembe and accompanying instruments (for example the doundouns and bells of Hamana) is only a part of the overall festivity, and the rhythms played very often depend on the songs which are sung by the griots or members of the group for whom the festival is carried out. There is normally one group of people who are "entitled" to dance at a festival, but others can often also join in. Any individual festival can last anywhere from one hour to 24 hours, but also be part of a longer period of festivities which may continue for over a week.

The traditions determine the course of events, and the strictness of the rules which are then enforced, and this often depends on the "owners" of the festival and their general importance in the society. Within these guidelines however, there is much scope for spontaneity of all the participants.

Djembe music developed separately in various regions, leading to widely differing musical ensembles and styles of playing. In Mali for example, one djembe and one bass drum (Bambara: N'kenkeni) often formed the complete group. What follows is based mostly on the Hamana region around Kouroussa in Upper Guinea. This is the area where the doundouns (doundounba, sangban, kensedeni) played individually with bells (for the doundounba and sangban) originated, and this remains the only area where these three bass drums always form a crucial part of the ensemble.

The bass drum(s) and their patterns identify which rhythm is being played. The djembes main role is then to provide support and encouragement to the dancers. These traditional rhythms are in a sense owned by the people who include them in their celebrations, and we at djembemoves want to promote respect for the traditional sense and meaning of this part of the culture of West Africa.