Kora music emerged in 18th century West Africa from the Mandinka people across Mali, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, and Burkina Faso. The 21-string harp-lute with calabash resonator produces rich, brilliant sounds through polyrhythmic patterns and improvisation. Historically preserved by jali griots, Kora combines storytelling, poetry, and music, gaining global prominence in the 1970s as a symbol of West African cultural identity.