Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania - The 2nd Sauti za Busara Music Festival will be taking place in Stone Town, Zanzibar, 10th – 13th February, 2005.

Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) is a free four-day feast of top-quality music, theatre and dance. This unique and exciting festival is free and takes place in Forodhani Gardens on the seafront of Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town. Held annually around the middle of February, its main aim is to bring people together in celebration of the wealth and diversity of Swahili music. The majority of groups participating are from the East African region and islands, with some invited artists from other parts of Africa and the world.

If any group would like to be considered for participation in the 2005 Festival, send a letter or email to the organizers as soon as possible, including recent recording (on CD, cassette, MD, DVD, VCD or VHS) and information to arrive not later than 30 September, 2004.

Organized by Busara Promotions, a cultural NGO based in Zanzibar, the festival is a highlight of its Swahili Encounters project, bringing together a rich and dynamic programme of musical styles, including different ngoma styles, taarab, rumba “muziki wa dansi”, Swahili hiphop “bongo flava”, mystic and religious music, theatre, comedy and dance.

The festival attracts many locals as well as international visitors to the islands and provides artists from the Swahili region with a rare opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, learn from each other and create.

10 – 13 February, 2005 – 2nd Sauti za Busara Festival
Main focus to showcase the wealth and diversity of Swahili music

9 – 12 February, 2006 – 3rd Sauti za Busara Festival
Main aim to showcase music from around the African Continent, with a special focus on Music, Faith & Spirituality.


For more information contact Festival Director at busara@zanlink.com. Busara Promotions, PO Box 3635, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Tel: (+255) 24 223 2423 or (0)747 428478, Fax: +44 870 1321190. E-mail: busara@zanlink.com