Kora music from Mali
Toumani Diabaté was born in Bamako, Mali, in 1965. His father was known as “the king of kora,” and Toumani is the 77th generation of musician in his family. He started to play kora at the age of 5 and is now considered one of the greatest players of this traditional West African instrument in the world. He plays here with his son Sidiki.
The Sunjata Epic
This excerpt from a performance of the Sunjata epic—an epic poem of the Malinke people that tells the story of the hero Sunjata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire—features Hawa Kassé Made Diabaté, Fode Lassana Diabaté (balafon), and Chérif Keita (narrator).
#metKids: Weave on a Mini-Loom
Follow along to learn how to weave yarn on a cardboard loom. The video will show you the process beginning to end: from wrapping the warp to removing your weaving from the loom.
First Palette: Paper Weaving
Follow step-by-step instructions with pictures to make simple but fun paper weavings. You can use any paper you have at home – from newspaper to scrapbook paper.
Tie-Dyeing 101
This guide includes suggested materials, step-by-step instructions, and helpful hints for successful tie-dyeing. Try the marble method to match one of the objects from Cloth is Money.
Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time
Visit the website for the Smithsonian’s Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange across Medieval Saharan Africa to learn more about this landmark traveling exhibition that was on display at the National Museum of African Art in Washington DC in April 2020. The website includes a teacher guide, videos, and more.
Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara
Visit the website for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara to learn more about this exhibition that will be on display until October 26, 2020. Take a virtual tour of the exhibition, view the hundreds of objects on display up close, and use the Exhibition Guide to learn more.
Cloth is Money Educator Guide
Access our resource guide tailored for Massachusetts Grade 6 Social Sciences standards, including tips for teaching Africa and background information on African empires, contemporary cultures, and textiles, as well as object highlights, suggested activities, and more.
