What is "balafon"

n. A wooden-keyed percussion idiophone of West Africa that is struck with two padded sticks.

The balafon is a kind of wooden xylophone or percussion idiophone which plays melodic tunes, and usually has between 16 and 27 keys. It has been played in Africa since the 14th century; it originated in Mali, according to the Manding history narrated by the griots.