- Title: ZANZIBAR: International music and arts festival in Zanzibar
- Date: 16th February 2010
- Summary: PEOPLE WALKING TO FESTIVAL
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVA34WSACOCPGYSJYX9OU1H0CIOD
- Story Text: The annual Sauti Za Busara or Sound of Wisdom Swahili music festival in Zanzibar has become one of east Africa's finest events, celebrating Swahili and African culture.
The six day event, which takes place in February, brings together sounds and sights from across the content, attracting young and old background in a celebration of different rich musical traditions.
This year, the India Ocean archipelago welcomes more than 400 performers for the festival.
They include performing artists from outside Africa too. Some come from Norway, Egypt, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The festival provides an opportunity for up and coming artists to rub shoulders with the more established names in the business.
Frederica Boswell, the festival's press co-ordinator, said the festival had been set up to showcase East African Music, bringing together different styles of music.
"People come and visit from Kenya, Uganda and as far field as America, Australia as well as people from Zanzibar coming from Shamba and from town and everyone coming together - they come together in the to Old Fort which is one of the most spectacular venue for music," she said.
South African musician, Thandiswa Mazwai, provides one of the highlights of the festivals.
She said the festival is an opportunity to show a positive side of Africa.
"Every time they showed me an African on TV, it was something negative so I want to turn that over and give people in my generation something positive to find and be proud of about being an African," she said.
The festival runs from February 11 to February 16. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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