in brief
(50 words) |
The Sauti za Busara music festival, Zanzibar features a rich variety of African music from the region with more than four hundred musicians participating over four days in historic Stone Town supplemented with fringe events around town and across the island including a carnival street parade and finalé beach party.
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additional info |
| Where and When
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-
Stone
Town, Zanzibar
- 12-17 Feb 2009
- Late afternoon till the early hours
- Admission free until sunset
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| Accommodation
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We recommend visitors book well in
advance. |
|
background |
Sauti za Busara music festival, is a cultural extravaganza,
held annually in
Zanzibar
during February, organised by Busara Promotions.
The main aim of Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) is to bring people together and celebrate
the wealth and diversity of African music. A majority of groups
participating are from the Swahili speaking region, with some
visiting artists from other countries. A rich and vibrant
mix of styles is showcased each year, including traditional
ngoma, taarab, kidumbak, mchiriku, rumba, "muziki wa dansi",
Swahili hiphop "bongo
flava", r’n’b, mystic and religious music,
theatre, comedy and dance.
Immensely popular with Tanzanians as well as visitors to
the region, Sauti za Busara has firmly
established itself as an unmissable event on the African cultural
calendar and "the friendliest festival on Planet Earth."
(Daily
News
,
Tanzania
) |
Busara Promotions – (festival organisers)
in brief |
Busara Promotions is a non-governmental, non-political,
non-profit cultural organisation registered 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". |
mission & vision |
Busara Promotions is a non-profit cultural NGO established
in
Zanzibar
in 2003.
Mission
The mission of Busara Promotions is "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".
Vision
Our vision is that
Zanzibar
"will become internationally recognised
and valued as a cultural epicentre for Africa and the Indian
Ocean region, in the context of a broader cross-regional network
which links festivals, venues and promoters, performing artists,
music institutions and related organisations around Africa,
the
Indian Ocean
and beyond".
Main Activities
Busara Promotions’ main event is the Sauti za
Busara music festival, held annually in Stone Town, Zanzibar during February.
Our other main activity is the
Swahili Encounters project.
The mission of Swahili Encounters
is "to encourage audiences to celebrate pluralism
of cultural and religious diversity; to promote and develop
opportunities for musicians and performing artists along the
Swahili coast and islands to connect, learn and perform together;
and to develop regional artistic cooperation, for the social,
cultural and economic growth of
East
Africa
and the Swahili region".
Achievements to Date
- Sidi Goma - African Sufis of Gujarat, June-July 2003
- Zein al Abdin (Lamu/Mombasa) – Oud masterclass, Sept 2003
- Sauti za Busara Swahili Music Festival, 13-15 Feb, 2004
- Zenji Flava (Zanzibar Hiphop) Seminar, Zanzibar, May 2004
- Training in Studio & Recording Skills for sound technicians from East Africa; Heartbeat Recording Studio, Zanzibar, August 2004
- Bi Kidude msondo group – Performances in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa at Awesome Africa Festival, September 2004
- Violin Masterclass for students from Lamu, Kenya at Dhow Countries Music Academy, Zanzibar, February 2005
- Sauti za Busara Swahili Music Festival, 10-13 Feb, 2005
- Participation of DCMA Kidumbak group and Wazenji Kijiwe (Zanzibar) at B-Connected Festival, Dar es Salaam, May 2005
- Promotion for Nadi Ikhwan Safaa (Malindi Taarab) Centenary Celebrations, Zanzibar, July 2005
- Sinachuki Kidumbak group and East African Melody participate in Lamu Cultural Festival, Kenya, November 2005
- Jagwa Music (mchiriku from Dar es Salaam) showcase at WOMEX (World Music Expo), Newcastle, UK, October 2005
- Supported performances of East African Melody and Sinachuki Kidumbak at the Lamu Cultural festival (Kenya), November 2005.
- Sauti za Busara Swahili Music Festival, 9-14 Feb, 2006
- Participation of Shirikisho Sanaa Group and Bz Broo (Zanzibar) at B-Connected Festival, Dar es Salaam, May 2006
- On the road again, taking Bi Kidude and 6 Unyago dancers to Festival Mundial in The Netherlands in June 2006.
- Kendwa Rocks 10th Anniversary Full Moon party featuring Matona & G-Clef Taarab, Shirikisho Sanaa, Sinachuki Kidumbak with Makame Faki, Bi Kidude, D-Knob, Spider, Jambo Brothers and Busara's Routes in Rhythm Soundsystem (Zanzibar) Sep 2006.
- Hosted a roundtable forum on "Music, Festivals and Cultural Tourism" attended by Minister of Tourism and 40 delegates from Government, NGO, and private sector. Sep 2006
- Bi Kidude with Unyago dancers, and Busara's "Where the music takes me" photographic exhibition –at GoDown Women's festival (Nairobi, Kenya) Oct 2006.
- Culture Musical Club at ACP (African, Caribbean, Pacific states) festival in Dominican Republic. Also presenting paper on "Music Festivals and Cultural Tourism". Oct 2006
- Sauti za Busara music festival, 9-14 Feb, 2007
- Busara sponsored Wandima Tradition (Ngoma) and Huzaman to go to the B-Connected Festival in Dar in May 2007
- With Fourth World records we produced a compilation CD+DVD of favourite artists of the Sauti za Busara festivals Sep 2007.
- We accompanied Bi Kidude to a cracking gig in Maputo for the Dockanema Film Festival. Sep 2007
- Sponsored studio time for Black Roots Cultural Group to record a couple of songs - and to help Zenji flava star Berry Black launch his new album, in Oct 2007
- Prepared a “coffee-table” book celebrating the first five years of Busara Promotions - Dec 2007
- Sauti za Busara music festival, 7-12 Feb, 2008
Contact Details
Yusuf Mahmoud
Director
Busara Promotions
PO Box 3635
Zanzibar, Tanzania
www.busaramusic.org |
Graphics
Photos for Press
The following pictures are available in hi-res for use in publications - expressly for the purpose of featuring Busara Promotions or the involvement of one of their sponsors in presenting the Sauti za Busara music festival.
Sauti za Busara music festival highlights 2008:
to download: right click on picture and save target as
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Afrodynamix by Bob Sankofa |
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Baladna Taarab ft Bi Kidude by Bob Sankofa |
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Baladna Taarab ft Bi Kidude by Thomas Dorn |
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Bantu & Afrobeat Academy by Birgit Quade |
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Bantu & Afrobeat Academy by Birgit Quade |
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Bassekou Kouyate Ngoni ba by Thomas Dorn |
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Nako2Nako Soldiers by Anthony Turner |
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Yunasi by Peter Bennett |
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audience by Anthony Turner |
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audience by Birgit Quade |
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audience by Bob Sankofa |
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audience by Masoud Khamis |
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audience by Masoud Khamis |
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audience by Kwame collections |
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Sauti za Busara music festival highlights (previous years):
to download: right click on picture and save target as
| Amani Drummers From Burundi by Masoud Khamis 1806k |  |
| Audience by Issa Michuzi 726k | .JPG) |
| Audience by Issa Michuzi 697k | .JPG) |
| Audience by Masoud Khamis 2815k |  |
| Chibite by Masoud Khamis 948k |  |
| Didier Awadi & Phat 4 by Peter Bennett 1084k |  |
| Imena From Rwanda by Issa Michuzi 882k | .jpg) |
| Jose Chameleone by Issa Michuzi 71k |  |
| Netsayi From Zimbabwe-Uk by Masoud Khamis 1942k |  |
| Qasida Swiffat Nabawiyyatul by Javed Jafferji 35k |  |
| Bi Kidude & Taarab Masters by Peter Bennett 37k |  |
| Jagwa Music by Peter Bennett 54k |  |
| Kyandu Music by Muhidin Michuzi 51k |  |
| Tamarind Band by Muhidin Michuzi 67k |  |
| Audience Atmosphere by Masoud Khamis 62k |  |
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