Sauti za Busara Swahili Music Festival
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Stone Town, Zanzibar, February 9th- 12th, 2006 "A wonderful new addition to the calendar of arts and cultural events taking place annually on the African Continent." - Afropop.org In three short years, Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) Swahili Music Festival has firmly established itself as one of East Africa’s finest annual events. This five-day extravaganza of diverse and top-quality music, theatre and dance brings together people of all ages and backgrounds in celebration of the wealth and variety of Swahili music. "A significant event and a great showcase for Swahili music" - Simon Broughton, Songlines magazine The 2006 Festival showcases a rich and dynamic programme including ngoma traditional music, taarab, kidumbak, rumba 'muziki wa dansi', mchiriku, Swahili hiphop 'bongo flava', Afropop fusions, mystic and religious music, theatre, comedy, acrobatics and dance. There are over thirty groups from the Swahili-speaking region: Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi, plus six specially selected groups from Swaziland, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso and Europe. Confirmed artists include Ferooz (bongo flava megastar), Mchinga Sound (muziki wa dansi), Jagwa Music (mchiriku from Dar es Salaam – favourites at WOMEX UK 2005!), Lady Jaydee (with live band), Culture Musical Club (Zanzibar taarab), Amina (Mombasa), Sinachuki Kidumbak, Bi Kidude msondo group, Black Roots (Zanzibar), Mkalimala Culture Group (traditional music from Mtwara), Taffetas (kora fusion from Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau & Europe), Fanaza (Swaziland), Ukoo Flani MauMau (Nairobi hiphop), New Sound Band (Burundi), Atongo Zimba (Ghana) and The Shrine Synchrosystem featuring DJs Rita & Max from London, performing live with musicians and rappers from West and East Africa. "The friendliest festival on Planet Earth." - Tanzania’s Daily News
“Also, of course the festival is promoting Zanzibar, and attracting the kind of visitor who is interested in the arts, culture and history of the island and who spends money in ways that have a great impact on the local grassroots economy.” Sauti za Busara is at the Old Fort in Stone Town for four nights and then decamps to Kendwa beach on Zanzibar’s north coast for a special grand finalé celebration featuring international DJs, traditional music, Swahili hiphop, kidumbak wedding dances, and mad 'mchiriku' music from the shanty-towns of Dar es Salaam. Gorge yourself on delicious Swahili cuisine, dodge acrobats and fire-eaters and dance the night away on one of the most beautiful beaches in East Africa.
The past festivals have attracted more than twelve thousand people and interest for the next edition indicates that more will be in attendance. The festival is very popular with the local population and is one of the annual highlights in Zanzibar's new approach to market itself as a leading global cultural tourism destination. As well as bringing international visitors to the islands, the event provides artists from the Swahili-speaking world with a rare opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, learn from each other and create. Many festival artists will be participating in music collaborations and workshops hosted by Zanzibar's Dhow Countries Music Academy. "There the music blended and grooved, dancers felt moved to do spontaneous improvisations, drummers went flying in search of new rhythms and the singers explored new harmonies and sounds together. There were a few of those really magical moments, when different musicians find that common place where it 'clicks' and everything works in harmony to produce a truly exciting new sound". - BBC Looking ahead? The festival is organised by Busara Promotions, a non-governmental, non-political, non-profit cultural organisation based in Zanzibar "to promote and develop opportunities for local and international music and performing artists within the East African region, work to strengthen the local arts infrastructure and build networks internationally, for the social, cultural and economic growth of Africa and the dhow region". For more information contact: |
Yusuf
Mahmoud, Festival Director explains: “through this festival we aim to
provide a snapshot - for local and international audiences - of current
musical trends drawn from the Swahili-speaking region. The event
attracts a lot of visitors from all around the world, many being
concert organizers and festival promoters who are always amazed by the
quality and range of styles that exist in East Africa.”
For
international visitors to the Festival, we shall be happy to forward
any travel enquiries to our official Festival Travel and Tour operator,
who can take care of all your local travel and accommodation
requirements. They can also help with visits to historic Stone Town,
village cultural projects, spice plantations, taarab rehearsals, beach
trips, dhow cruises, mainland safaris, snorkelling, diving, and if
you’re lucky: swimming with dolphins. Just let us know.
