Tausi Women's Taarab

Genre : Band
Principal country concerned : Column : Music
Tanzania


Tausi Women's Taarab presents a revolution in a very traditional genre: Zanzibar's first all femaletaarab orchestra where all instruments are played by women, accompanying women singers.



The Tausi Taarab orchestra was formed in 2009 and presents music in the tradition of classical taarab style. Dating back to the 1920s when Siti Bint Saad (widely recognised as the "mother of taarab") recorded a large catalogue of Swahili songs, many talented women composers and singers have contributed to the development of Zanzibar's most famous music style. However, even in the "women's groups" during the 1960s it was only men who played the instruments. Tausi (meaning "peacock") has changed this forever.



Since the group's inception they have been invited to perform at various functions of the EU, the UN, the opening of the "Women's Decade 2010-2020", The African Union, the Ministry of Education in Zanzibar, Zanzibar International Film Festival, Bagamoyo Cultural Festival, as well as private weddings and commercial functions.



Anyone who has seen the group at their world premiere during Sauti za Busara 2009, can now experience how far the young women have grown artistically and musically under the tutelage of Taarab stars Mariam Hamdani and Mohamed Ilyas.
 



Description from Sauti za Busara: http://www.busaramusic.org

 

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

With the support of