Taarab
Encyclopedia
Taarab is a music genre
popular in Tanzania
and Kenya
. It is influenced by music from the cultures with a historical presence in East Africa
, including music from East Asia
, Sub-Saharan Africa
, North Africa
, the Middle East
and Europe
. Taarab rose to prominence in 1928 with the rise of the genre's first star, Siti binti Saad
.
According to local legend, taarab was started by Sultan Seyyid Barghash bin Said (1870-1888); he liked luxury and the pleasures of life. It was this ruler who started Taarab in Zanzibar and later it spread all over East Africa. He imported a taarab ensemble from Egypt, to play in his Beit el-Ajab palace. Later on he decided to send to Egypt Mohamed Ibrahim
to learn music and he also learned to play the Kanun
. Upon his return he formed the Zanzibar Taarab Orchestra. In 1905, Zanzibar's second music society, Ikwhani Safaa Musical Club, was established and continues to thrive today.
Ikwhani Safaa and Culture Musical Club (founded in 1958) remain the leading Zanzibar taarab orchestras.
The word Taarab is a loanword from Arabic. The Arabic word طرب means "having joy with music".
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
popular in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is influenced by music from the cultures with a historical presence in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, including music from East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Taarab rose to prominence in 1928 with the rise of the genre's first star, Siti binti Saad
Siti binti Saad
Siti binti Saad was a pioneering artist in the taraab genre of east African music. In an era in which male singers predominated, she was a pioneer as a woman singer in the genre. In contrast to previous singers who sang in Arabic, she sang in Swahili. She sang in cities of the coast of Kenya,...
.
According to local legend, taarab was started by Sultan Seyyid Barghash bin Said (1870-1888); he liked luxury and the pleasures of life. It was this ruler who started Taarab in Zanzibar and later it spread all over East Africa. He imported a taarab ensemble from Egypt, to play in his Beit el-Ajab palace. Later on he decided to send to Egypt Mohamed Ibrahim
Mohamed Ibrahim
Mohamed Ibrahim is an Egyptian footballer currently playing as an attacking midfielder with Egyptian Premier League club Zamalek....
to learn music and he also learned to play the Kanun
Kanun (Instrument)
The Qanun is a string instrument found in the 10th century in Farab in Turkestan...
. Upon his return he formed the Zanzibar Taarab Orchestra. In 1905, Zanzibar's second music society, Ikwhani Safaa Musical Club, was established and continues to thrive today.
Ikwhani Safaa and Culture Musical Club (founded in 1958) remain the leading Zanzibar taarab orchestras.
The word Taarab is a loanword from Arabic. The Arabic word طرب means "having joy with music".
Leading Taarab singers
- Siti binti SaadSiti binti SaadSiti binti Saad was a pioneering artist in the taraab genre of east African music. In an era in which male singers predominated, she was a pioneer as a woman singer in the genre. In contrast to previous singers who sang in Arabic, she sang in Swahili. She sang in cities of the coast of Kenya,...
- from ZanzibarZanzibarZanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba... - Bi KidudeBi KidudeFatuma binti Baraka is a Zanzibari Taarab singer. She is considered the undisputed queen of Taarab and Unyago music and is also a protégé of Siti binti Saad. Bi Kidude was born in the village of Mfagimaringo, she was the daughter of a coconut seller in colonial Zanzibar...
- from ZanzibarZanzibarZanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba... - Asha Abdow Saleebaan 'Malika' - BajuniBajuni peopleThe Bajuni people are a minority ethnic group that live in East Africa.-Overview:The Bajuni principally inhabit the tiny Bajuni Islands in the Indian Ocean. Many also traditionally reside in Kenya, mainly in Mombasa and other towns in that country's Coast Province...
singer from SomaliaSomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory... - Zuhura Swaleh - from MombasaMombasaMombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....