Mapathé Diop is a Master Drummer from Dakar, Senegal, West Africa.  Mapathé has drummed his entire life having been born to a hereditary caste of griot entertainers among the Wolof people where he performed regularly at traditional ceremonies, less formal social occasions and toured West Africa with the film company Daaray Kocc, and musical troupe Dioudou Tay. Since arriving in the United States in 1992, he has taught and frequently performed in the Seattle area and generally throughout the West Coast.  His relaxed and thorough teaching approach facilitates the learning of traditional Senegalese rhythms such as Wolof, Serer, Lebou, Laubé and Walo.  Aside from teaching the "how to" aspects of playing a traditional rhythm, he also conveys the cultural context associated with the rhythm.