Building bridges at Sauti za Busara 2019

The 2019 edition of the Sauti za Busara music festival ended on Sunday night with a thrilling performance Mokoomba from Zimbabwe, and has been labeled by stakeholders as one of the best festivals that the organisers have staged since 2004.

From the rich and fresh line-up to various activities such as the Swahili Encounters artistic collaborations and Movers &Shakers networking sessions for professionals, the festival further galvanized its position as one of Africa’s best music festivals that puts African music under the international spotlight.

According to organizers the festival which was themed ‘Say No to Corruption’ is a true platform where both superstars and up and coming musicians can connect and build bridges.

Speaking a day after the festival, Yusuf Mahmoud, the festival director said it was with great pride that they had hosted another extravaganza of this nature, even at times when the odds seemed stacked against them.

“Today’s success is always tomorrow’s challenge due to the raised expectations festival goers get used to. Our aim is to keep moving forwards and make the festival even better year on year” said Yusuf.

According to him, despite the financial shortcomings they were once again able to deliver a world class festival whose standards easily compare with others elsewhere that are heavily funded by national associations.

“At Sauti za Busara one of our major strengths has been to help artists connect with each other and to build cultural bridges that would be difficult to create through ordinary means,” said Yusuf.

“The festival clearly brings benefits for Zanzibar and Tanzania in terms of providing jobs and boosting the economy, building skills and livelihoods, promoting good-news stories, keeping traditions alive and providing spaces for intercultural exchange”.

He added: “Artists who participate at Sauti za Busara make valuable connections and contacts and it is no wonder that they are often invited for performances at other festivals”.

One of the artists who has benefited from Sauti za Busara is Amina Omar, leader of Siti and the Band, who said her career took a different turn from the very first day she performed at the festival for the first time.

Speaking at the Movers & Shakers forum, Amina recounted how she has travelled several countries through connections she made at the festival in past years.

“I have been invited to several countries such as Nigeria, Uganda and others, not only for performances but also in collaborations with other African artists,” she said.

Also at the festival was kenaya musician Fadhilee Itulya who has produced several innovative shows and works for the development of the East African arts scene.

And according to him musicians have a responsibility of delivering a message that help society transform their lives through their artistic works.

“We musicians have a very big responsibility as we have access to majority and our work can make impact in our societies. It is therefore very important to be careful on how we communicate, how we dress and what we sing about,” says Itulya.

Itulya whose music style is influenced directly by the traditional music of the Luhya community in western Kenya has performed across East Africa, Ghana, Scandinavia, Greece, Germany and Switzerland.

The festival this year paid tribute to some of the departed African stars who left their mark on the world music industry.

“As we celebrate the life-giving properties of African music, we also acknowledge the enormous contribution made by musicians who departed this world during the past 12 months”, says Yusuf Mahmoud.

He adds: “Ayub Ogada, Geoffrey Oryema, Rachid Taha, Aretha Franklin, Randy Weston, Jackson Aluta Kazimoto, Kassemady Diabate, Khaira Arby, Hugh Masekela, Oliver Mtukudzi … all of these were legends in their own right. Their music lives forever. They entertained, whilst educating and bringing joy to millions of people around the world, and we remember them with respect”.

But as the confetti finally cleared bringing the four days of African rhythms  under the African skies to an end, one thing was clear, there is need for more festivals given the opportunities that they create.

Running under the theme ‘Say no to Corruption’ the 2019 edition of the Sauti za Busara brought together a total of 46 performances from over 400 artistes on three different stages.

Out of these only three had performed on the iconic stage before once again confirming Africa’s diverse wealth in culture.

Over the years the festival has emerged as a platform where young artistes showcase their talent to a wider global audience

S Kide, a composer and singer of the urban singeli style a genre that has emerged from the ‘ghetto’ suburbs of Dar es Salaam in recent years and is rapidly attracting attention beyond the borders of Tanzania was among the acts that graced the festival for the first time.

His recordings include Kabla Hajatoka Diamond, (2010) Ushemeji Upo Haliwi Mtu, (2017) and Kwetu Mbagala, (2017). His performance was well accepted by the crowd who sang along with him.

But as those in the audience celebrated the performances on the stage perharps the best of all was happening at the Swahili Encounters headed by Mandla Mlangeni as its artistic director.

According to him through Swahili encounters they managed to work together as one despite language barrier but they were all connected and managed to produce a collaboration song.

He says through music they were able to learn different experiences of life.

Busara Board Chairman Mr Simai Mohammed believes there is plenty of opportunities that  the local population is yet take up from the business deals to new interactions.

And indeed this was visible as vendors and other businesses around Stone Town took up the opportunities from selling artworks to transporting visitors to their hotels.

Many admit that the one week was quite life changing in many ways as their earnings trippled

Jamal Khasim, 52, a taxi driver at Mnazi Mmoja says, the festival brought him more customers as his earning increased by almost ten folds.

“The new customers call me every day to pick them from their Hotel located at Mbweni and taking them back. During the day I also get calls to take them for lunch. Generally I have been very busy during this festival,” says Khamis.

In his view the festival should be held at least three times in a year as it creates friends and brings more money than usual.

This year’s line-up included Fid Q, Damian Soul, MkubwanaWanawe Crew, Stone Town Rockerz, Tausi Women’s Taarab, Rajab Suleiman& Kithara, Afrigo Band, Jackie Akelloand Eli Maliki(Uganda), Fadhilee Itulya and Shamsi Musicfrom Kenya.

Others are BCUC (South Africa), Mokoomba (Zimbabwe), Faith Mussa (Malawi), HobaHoba Spirit (Morocco), M’ToroChamou(Mayotte), Tune Recreation Committee (South Africa).