It’s that time of year once again when Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) festival is about to set Stone Town alight. In three short years, this five-day extravaganza of diverse and top-quality music, theatre and dance, has firmly established itself as one of East Africa’s finest annual events. Sauti za Busara brings together people of all ages and backgrounds in celebration of the wealth and variety of Swahili music.

“a wonderful new addition to the calendar of arts and cultural events taking place annually on the African Continent.” www.afropop.org

“A significant event and a great showcase for Swahili music” Simon Broughton, Songlines magazine

Organised by Busara Promotions, 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. Of the forty groups participating, most are from the Swahili-speaking region: Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi, with six or seven specially selected groups from Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali 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 taarab), Sinachuki Kidumbak, Bi Kidude msondo group, Black Roots (Zanzibar), Mkalimala Culture Group (traditional music from Mtwara), Taffetas (kora fusion from Mali, 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. More artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

” the friendliest festival on Planet Earth” Tanzania’s Daily News

The third edition of Sauti za Busara takes place 9th- 14th February 2006. It’s 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 finale 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.

Ticket prices for Sauti za Busara 2006

Admission free for all before 8pm
Entry after 8pm:
residents 500/- TSh (no re-admission)
non-residents 5,000/- TSh

All Events Pass (5 days)
(with seating)
residents 10,000/- TSh
non-residents 20,000/- TSh

Exchange rates at December 2005:
1 euro = 1,400 Tanzania shillings
$ 1 USD = 1,200 Tanzania shillings
£ 1 GBP = 2,000 Tanzania shillings

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.


Swahili Encounters: Stirring the Fusion
A collaboration with Dhow Countries Music Academy

Throughout the year, and particularly in the week before the Festival, Busara Promotions works in collaboration with Zanzibar’s Dhow Countries Music Academy (DCMA) to provide an opportunity for musicians of different backgrounds to come together, learn from each other and create new musical fusions, which are sometimes performed on stage under the title of Swahili Encounters.

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’.

“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” news.bbc.co.uk

For more information visit www.busaramusic.com or contact busara@zanlink.com and tell them you read about it in Fly.