Fete de la Kora
In the Mande heartland, the birthplace of the kora, griots gather to play the 21-string harp-lute that sounds like water falling over stones. The kora was invented here, and every griot family has a story about how their ancestor received the instrument from a spirit. The festival is open-air, free, and the music does not stop until the last listener falls asleep under the mango trees.