A West African ethnic group, originally a caste of blacksmiths from the northern highlands region of Guinea. Upon their ninth century A.D. migration to an area in the Mali Empire, the Malinke had contact with an ethnic group of tradespeoples, the Diulas, who probably helped spread the use of the djembe.

Main Mandingo ethnic group from which the Mali empire sprang. This ethnic group was converted to Islam in the 11th century. Most Malinke live in Guinea.