Our Story
Arouna & Zaza Diarra are Burkinabè American artists dedicated to sharing the music, culture, and traditions of West Africa through performance, education, storytelling, and handcrafted instruments. Together, they create warm, engaging, and interactive musical experiences that inspire connection, celebrate cultural heritage, and bring communities together. Through traditional rhythms, songs, and stories, Arouna & Zaza invite audiences of all ages to experience the beauty, joy, and depth of West African culture.
Arouna Diarra
Originally from Burkina Faso, Arouna Diarra is a Burkinabè American musician, master instrument builder, educator, entrepreneur, and founder of Arouna Diarra LLC, now Arouna & Zaza Diarra LLC. Born into the centuries-old griot tradition of West Africa, Arouna comes from a family of musicians, storytellers, poets, and historians whose role is to preserve and share cultural heritage through music and oral tradition. Today, he continues that legacy by introducing audiences around the world to the rich sounds and rhythms of West Africa while honoring the authenticity of his ancestry. An accomplished ngoni and balafon virtuoso, Arouna also performs on a wide range of traditional West African instruments. His music blends ancient traditions with contemporary artistry, creating performances that are educational, joyful, and deeply moving. Arouna has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Costa Rica, including appearances at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, Crescent Ballroom, and Red Rocks Amphitheater, and touring with Rising Appalachia, as well as at libraries, schools, festivals, museums, and community arts programs across Arizona and beyond.
Beyond the stage, Arouna is a respected craftsman who hand-builds these authentic West African instruments, which are distributed on this site. His handcrafted Ngonis, balafons, koras, and other traditional instruments are played by musicians around the world. His handmade instruments are also featured in the Musical Instrument Museum’s Experience Gallery, where visitors have the opportunity to explore and play authentic West African instruments built by Arouna himself.
Whether performing, teaching, or crafting instruments, Arouna’s mission remains the same: preserving West African musical traditions while inspiring new generations through cultural exchange, education, and artistic excellence
Zaza Diarra
Originally from Burkina Faso, West Africa, Azaratou “Zaza” Diarra is a Burkinabè American entrepreneur, musician, educator, and cultural ambassador whose work bridges music, family, education, and community. As co-founder, performer, and manager of Arouna & Zaza Diarra, Zaza helps bring West African music and culture to audiences of all ages through engaging performances, storytelling, and interactive educational programs. Together with her husband, Arouna Diarra, she has performed at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), libraries, schools, cultural festivals, community events, and performing arts venues throughout Arizona and beyond.
Outside of the performing arts, Zaza is the founder and director of Immanuel Care for Children, an early childhood education program serving families in Phoenix, Arizona. A passionate advocate for children and families, she has mentored new childcare providers and served on the Arizona Department of Health Services Licensing Rulemaking Task Force, helping shape policies that strengthened health and safety standards for family childcare providers throughout Arizona. Her commitment to serving families also led her to volunteer with and later direct a local crisis pregnancy center, where she supported teens and families experiencing unplanned pregnancies with compassion, guidance, and practical resources.
Whether mentoring educators, leading a childcare program, or performing on stage, Zaza believes that music and education are powerful tools for building bridges between cultures and generations. She embodies art as a space for cultural transmission, mentorship, healing, and shared joy.