The Island of Zanzibar is world famous for romantic vacations. The archipelago is however an equally important East African destination for cultural tours. Dr Livingstone's house, the Arab fort, the old stone town streets, the house of wonders, and the people's palace are some of the top cultural travel areas in Zanzibar.
Zanzibar culture has been largely influenced by the many traders and invaders who came to the Island in the course of its history. The Omani Arabs, the English, and the Portuguese are some of the communities that have influenced the culture in Zanzibar. Some festivities in the Island - such as Mwaka Kogwa (celebration of the Persian new year), Sauti za busara, and the Zanzibar international film festival - portray this mixed cultural heritage.
Sauti za Busara, Swahili for sounds of wisdom, is East Africa's premier music and cultural festival showcasing the best Swahili speaking world has to offer. The event that is held every February in Stone Town's Old Fort sees the historical town becoming a beehive of activity. Sauti za Busara hosts bongo flava (a popular music genre in East Africa) stars, ngoma dancers, taarab orchestras and drumming troupes.
Apart from just being very popular with the local population, Sauti za Busara is also one of the key highlights of Zanzibar's bid to market itself as a top destination for cultural tourism. Many international visitors attend the event, which also gives the local artists a rare chance to interact with each other and exchange ideas, learn new things, and try out their creativity. During the sixth edition of the event, held from 12th to 17th February 2009, performing artists came from various parts of the world including Europe, Australia, and West Africa.
The Zanzibar international film festival (ZIFF) is the other large cultural event held in Zanzibar. Conducted every July, the festival (the largest cultural activity in East Africa) presents a variety of international films and videos, art exhibitions, music and dance. ZIFF celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007.
Every year, the crowd that attends ZIFF gets bigger and bigger as its international reputation grows. The festival presents a unique chance to promote cultural understanding of Indian ocean dhow countries of Tanzania, Oman and India.
The last week of July sees the village of Makunduchi celebrate Mwaka Kogwa, the Persian New Year. The festival is a riot of colour, filled with rituals and fun. During this festival, men are given the chance to mock fight each other with banana stems to clear any past dispute for the new year. Women on the other hand dress in their best clothes and sing songs about family, love and life.
The traditional burning of a hut is the most symbolic event and the highlight of Mwaka Kogwa. It marks the end of one year, and the start of a new one. It is also believed to purge evil from the land and protect the village from fire throughout the year. After that, the villagers party, sing, dance to African drums and other music instruments till dawn. They also extend hospitality to all people in the knowledge that any local who does not entertain a guest will receive bad luck.
The above cultural festivities have earned Zanzibar an international reputation as a center for African cultural heritage. Getting to Zanzibar can be by sea or by air. Several international airlines operate flights to Zanzibar, including Air Mauritius, Ethiopian Airlines, Gulf Air, and KLM (with Kenya Airways). Visitors can get scheduled and charter flights from Dar es Salaam, as well speed boats for a sea trip to Zanzibar. - 15437
Zanzibar culture has been largely influenced by the many traders and invaders who came to the Island in the course of its history. The Omani Arabs, the English, and the Portuguese are some of the communities that have influenced the culture in Zanzibar. Some festivities in the Island - such as Mwaka Kogwa (celebration of the Persian new year), Sauti za busara, and the Zanzibar international film festival - portray this mixed cultural heritage.
Sauti za Busara, Swahili for sounds of wisdom, is East Africa's premier music and cultural festival showcasing the best Swahili speaking world has to offer. The event that is held every February in Stone Town's Old Fort sees the historical town becoming a beehive of activity. Sauti za Busara hosts bongo flava (a popular music genre in East Africa) stars, ngoma dancers, taarab orchestras and drumming troupes.
Apart from just being very popular with the local population, Sauti za Busara is also one of the key highlights of Zanzibar's bid to market itself as a top destination for cultural tourism. Many international visitors attend the event, which also gives the local artists a rare chance to interact with each other and exchange ideas, learn new things, and try out their creativity. During the sixth edition of the event, held from 12th to 17th February 2009, performing artists came from various parts of the world including Europe, Australia, and West Africa.
The Zanzibar international film festival (ZIFF) is the other large cultural event held in Zanzibar. Conducted every July, the festival (the largest cultural activity in East Africa) presents a variety of international films and videos, art exhibitions, music and dance. ZIFF celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007.
Every year, the crowd that attends ZIFF gets bigger and bigger as its international reputation grows. The festival presents a unique chance to promote cultural understanding of Indian ocean dhow countries of Tanzania, Oman and India.
The last week of July sees the village of Makunduchi celebrate Mwaka Kogwa, the Persian New Year. The festival is a riot of colour, filled with rituals and fun. During this festival, men are given the chance to mock fight each other with banana stems to clear any past dispute for the new year. Women on the other hand dress in their best clothes and sing songs about family, love and life.
The traditional burning of a hut is the most symbolic event and the highlight of Mwaka Kogwa. It marks the end of one year, and the start of a new one. It is also believed to purge evil from the land and protect the village from fire throughout the year. After that, the villagers party, sing, dance to African drums and other music instruments till dawn. They also extend hospitality to all people in the knowledge that any local who does not entertain a guest will receive bad luck.
The above cultural festivities have earned Zanzibar an international reputation as a center for African cultural heritage. Getting to Zanzibar can be by sea or by air. Several international airlines operate flights to Zanzibar, including Air Mauritius, Ethiopian Airlines, Gulf Air, and KLM (with Kenya Airways). Visitors can get scheduled and charter flights from Dar es Salaam, as well speed boats for a sea trip to Zanzibar. - 15437
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