Hi Fayenatic london,

I take your point about not publishing denials )

I wasn't aware that the misnomer category is likely to disappear. (As a side issue, is it required for a page to have at least one category? I have been editing for only a few months, and I'm still learning.)

Regarding other drums from different countries/languages, it doesn't make sense to rule in the name of a drum from a different language because dunun are Malinke drums. There is a Nigerian drum called ju ju but that drum is completely different (frame drum).
I have also found references to a drum called "dun dun" or "djun djun" from Nigeria, but as an hourglass-shaped drum, similar to the Malinke tama. (Again, that's a completely different instrument.) The notability of these sources is doubtful in any case; they are about as credible as shops that sell djembe and dunun…

As an analogy (somewhat strained), the didgeridoo is often referred to by Australians as a "didge". Despite this, that doesn't make "didge" a legitimate name for the instrument. It does not have this name in any aboriginal language. Similarly, you will find many places on the web saying that "djembe" is pronounced "DJEM-bay". It is not pronounced that way by the Malinke (who named the drum and pronounce it "DJEM-be"). It is only in western English-speaking countries that the incorrect pronunciation is occasionally used.

I had a look at the links you found. There are hundreds more like them, and these are not notable sources. For one, the dunun (and djembe) did not originate in Ghana. (The history of the dunun and djembe in Ghana is no longer than the history in the West because it was not until after colonialism ended that these drums found their way to Ghana. Up to that point, djembe and dunun were confined to the traditional Malinke area (Mali, Guinea, and parts of Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Ivory Coast).) Yes, I know that there are many sources claiming that the djembe and dunun came from Ghana (or Benin), but those claims are simply incorrect, and there is plenty of literature from reputable source to show this.

As to Mamady Keita being a reputable source, that is something beyond dispute: he is one of the most respected and famous masters world-wide, Malinke, and grew up in a traditional village.

What has happened here is that a lot of people who don't have the cultural background have copied from each other. This is unfortunate, but continued mis-use of a term doesn't make it correct, unless the use has entered the vernacular to such a point that it becomes valid. (Djun djun is nowhere near that common use.)

When I first learned about the "djun djun" issue, I made it a point to pay attention to this. I have spent extensive time (many months) in West Africa studying with a number of masters there, including in Ghana and Mali. Not once have I heard native speakers there (either Ghana or Mali) refer to the drum as "djun djun". I also have already asked old and young master drummers specifically about this. Famoudou Konate, Mohamed Bangoura, Epizo Bangoura, Lansana Camara, Isaac "Tuza" Afutu, and Aliou Sylla (all teachers of mine) have all told me that no such word exists.

I believe it is beyond any doubt that "djun djun" is a misnomer. The only question is what do with the djun djun page. A redirect to dunun is incorrect IMO because it would implicitly legitimize the incorrect term as a synonym. So, I would still like to retain the page but I don't know what I would have to do to bring the page up to acceptable standard. Can you help me here? A big problem when writing about Malinke instruments and drumming culture is that there is little material in writing. Most of the information is passed verbally from master to student. And, as far as I know, I cannot simply create a citation saying something like "Famoudou Konate, June 2011, personal communication"?