About us

Fabrice Berre began importing instruments from West Africa to France in 1999 and by 2003 he founded BaraGnouma.

The company has specialized in the manufacture of traditional Mandingo-inspired musical instruments (from West Africa) since its inception, and began offering its products online in 2007.

The BaraGnouma workshop, which means "well-made work" or more precisely "good work" in the Dioula language, only offers high-quality products all made on its premises by its inhouse team of workers. The activity is located in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, a hotbed of cultural activity in West Africa. Many of its employees are themselves Griots or caste blacksmiths. Each instrument is unique as they are all made by hand. We insist on quality and detail over quantity.

BaraGnouma complies with all the current regulatory obligations of the country, be it in terms of taxation,and  social security contributions as well as all other taxes such as authorizations for respectful use of waters and forests, export certificates, certificates of origin and health certificates for our products.

We do our utmost to protect the environment. For example all sawdust is composted, and plastic bags are banned on the premises (perhaps the only workshop in Bobo-Dioulasso to take such measures in effort to address the magnitude of the problem plastic bags pose in Burkina Faso).