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Music of Tanzania

As it is in other countries, the music in Tanzania is constantly undergoing changes, and varies by location, people, settings and occasion. The five music genres in Tanzania, as defined by BASATA are, ngoma, dansi, kwaya, and taarab, with bongo flava being added in 2001.[1][2] Singeli has since the mid-2000s been an unofficial music of uswahilini, unplanned communities in Dar es Salaam, and is the newest mainstream genre since 2020.[3]

Ngoma (Bantu, meaning dance, drum and event)[4][5] is a traditional dance music that has been the most widespread music in Tanzania.[6][7] Dansi is urban jazz or band music.[6][8] Taarab is sung Kiswahili poetry accompanied by a band, typically string, in which audience is often, but not always, encouraged to dance and clap.[6] Kwaya is choir music originally limited to church during colonization, but now an secular part of education, social, and political events.


Bongo flava is Tanzanian pop music originating in the early 2000s from muziki wa kizazi kipya, meaning "Music of the new generation", which originated in the late 1980s. Kizazi kipya's dominant influences were reggae, RnB, and hip hop, where as the later bongo flava's dominant influences are taarab and dansi.[9] Three recent influence on bongo flava are Afropop in the 2010s, as well as amapiano from South Africa and singeli from Tanzania, both since 2020.[10][11] Singeli is a ngoma music and dance where a MC performs over fast tempo taarab music, often at between 200-300 beats per minute (BPM) while females dance. Male and female MCs are near equally common, however styles between MC gender typically differ significantly. Male MCs usually perform in fast paced rap, while female MCs usually perform kwaya.[3]


From independence until 1993, all recording and distribution of music was strictly managed by BASATA, primarily through Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam (RTD).[12] Only the 4 Tanzanian genres were permitted to be recorded or broadcast, which at the time was ngoma, taarab, kwaya and dansi. The Broadcasting Services Act of 1993 allowed private broadcast networks and recording studios.[13][14] In the few years prior to the 1993 Act hip hop had been getting somewhat established in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza. It was transitioning from English performances of hip hop in originating in uzunguni, rich areas like Oysterbay and Masaki with the international schools, to Kiswahili performances of kizazi kipya, originating in uswahilini[15] Following the opening of the radio waves, bongo flava spreading throughout the country, and the rest of the Great Lakes.[9]

Kwaya (choir)[edit]

Kwaya is a choir and a large part of Tanzanian life.[4][20] It is practiced in school, church and even still events such as political rallies.[7][21] Kwaya was originally a purely European form of music brought to Tanganyika by the Europeans and practiced in churches to the accompaniment of only European instruments, usually in European language.[7] Gregory Barz described colonial use of kwaya in Tanzania as ‘‘one of the most highly developed tools used in the colonization and domination of land and people, body and spirit.’’ [22]


Following independence in 1961, the TANU government understood the usefulness of kwaya for secular purposes to create a national identity, and promote education and ujamaa.[7] One of the first actions TANU undertook for the new nation was to create schools to educate the population, which at that time had less 5% literacy due to absence of schools. TANU created an education system, building schools in every village and neighborhood, and chose to make kwaya an instrumental aspect of education, as it still is today. This proved hugely successful, with Tanzania enjoying high literacy reaching 80% literacy in 18 years after independence.[4] Alongside the kwaya troupes, TANU created and promoted ngonjera, a form of poetry as a dialog, debate, and praise usually for the TANU party.[22] After 1985 and onto today, kwaya is still widespread, particularly in schools, and church, and as a powerful influence in other forms of music, but the use of both kwaya and ngonjera as a political tool is significantly diminished today, rarely used by CCM. The central role kwaya continues to play in early and religious life has helped make it highly influential music in Tanzania.[7] Most singers learn how to sing in choirs at a young age, and kwaya is frequently featured in other forms of music, especially the very popular modern bongo flava.[21]

Other music[edit]

National anthem[edit]

The Tanzanian national anthem is Mungu Ibariki Africa (God Bless Africa), composed by South African composer Enoch Sontonga in 1897.[41] The tune is the ANC's official song and later became the national anthem of South Africa. The melody is also the national anthem of Zambia. In Tanzania, Swahili lyrics were written for this anthem. - Another patriotic song, going back to colonial times, is Tanzania, Tanzania.


Mbaraka Mwinshehe is the most popular and original musician of Tanzania, also there is a greater influx of musicians from the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), who were entering the country as refugees and made residence in the country. But in recent years, mainly from the mid-nineties, new generation of musicians has emerged and are coming up with popular tunes which are Tanzanian in composition. Bands like Twanga Pepeta(African Stars Band) have created Tanzanian original new sounds.[42]

Reggae and dancehall[edit]

Jah Kimbuteh is the first major reggae star in Tanzania, beginning his career with Roots and Culture in 1985. Newer artists in the Tanzanian reggae genre includes the Jam Brothers and Ras Innocent Nyanyagwa.[43]


At present, Ras Nas is considered one of the best-known reggae musicians from Tanzania. Ras Nas combines reggae, afro, and dub poetry. Many musicians work in bands that play at a hotel, usually led by a keyboard and including a rock-based sound.

Rock[edit]

One of the most internationally famous rock musician, Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara into the Indian Parsi community of Stone Town, Zanzibar, moved to England after the Zanzibar Revolution over through British, and later Arab, colonial rule. He rose to worldwide fame as the lead singer, and a songwriter and instrumentalist, of the rock music group Queen. Neither Mr. Mercury, or the band Queen, ever performed in Tanzania.[44] Their only African performance being the very controversial 1983 Works Tour where Queen disregarded UN Sanctions and performed in Apartheid South Africa to widespread condemnation by artist across the world.[45] The Mercury House, a former home of the Bulsara family, opened as a souvenir store in Stone Town, Zanzibar, in 2002. It opened as a museum to Freddie Mercury on 24 November 2019.[46]

Distribution and access to music[edit]

The mushrooming of FM music stations and reasonable production studios has been a major boost to the music industry in the country. Contemporary artists like Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize, Juma Nature, Nandy, Rayvanny, Ali Kiba, Lady Jaydee, Mr. Nice, Elja Eks, Mr. II, Cool James, Dully Sykes, Professor Jay and many others command a huge audience of followers in the country and neighbouring countries.


More information about Tanzanian music and events can be found on the various web portals that have sprung up recently. Tanzania has an enormously high growth rate for internet technologies, estimated at up to 500% per year. Because costs for computers are still quite high, many users share connections at internet cafes or at work.naomba.com business directory, tanzaniadirectory.info Movie, and Sports information, and Arusha locality information all are part of an increasing number of websites dedicated to the region. Digital Tanzania music downloads are mostly done by free download websites and music[47] platforms like iTunes, Google Music, etc.

Festival

Sauti za Busara

Taarab

Muziki wa dansi

Askew, Kelly (28 July 2002). . University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-02981-8.

Performing the Nation: Swahili Music and Cultural Politics in Tanzania

Barz, Gregory F. (2003). . Brill Publishers. ISBN 978-90-420-0827-4.

Performing Religion: Negotiating Past and Present in Kwaya Music of Tanzania

Edmondson, Laura (20 July 2007). . Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-11705-2.

Performance and Politics in Tanzania: The Nation on Stage

Njogu, Kimani; Maupeu, Herv (15 October 2007). . African Books Collective. ISBN 978-9987-08-108-0.

Songs and Politics in Eastern Africa

Stone, Ruth M. (2 April 2010). . Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-90001-4.

The Garland Handbook of African Music

Broughton, Simon (1999). . Rough Guides Limited, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0.

World Music-Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East

Clark, Msia Kibona (30 April 2018). . Ohio: Ohio University Press. ISBN 978-0-89680-502-6.

Hip-Hop in Africa: Prophets of the City and Dustyfoot Philosophers

- Tanzanian Music Website

List of Top Tanzanian Songs

. Accessed 25 November 2010.

BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Music of Zanzibar – Taarab and Ikwan Safaa

. Accessed 25 November 2010.

BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Culture Musical Club and Bi Kidude

. Accessed 25 November 2010.

New Tanzania Music Songs