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A Tribute to Bi Kidude at Kizimkasi
by Mama Charlotte Hill O’Neal
“And the
racing ship rocked us gently…gently
Like a mother’s lullaby…
and it rocked us steadily…steadily
Like a watery womb…”
These words from one of my poems kept running
through my head as we inched closer to Zanzibar’s beautiful green
shrouded shore. We musicians who form the band, Dunia Truth, had
traveled by bus from Arusha Dec. 29th , spent the night in
Dar and were finally on the sea bus express just a few minutes away from
docking. We were scheduled to honor Fatuma binti Baraka or Bi Kidude as
she has come to be known all over the world, the undisputed queen of
Taarab and Unyago music and recognized protégé of Siti binti Saad, with
a musical tribute on new year’s eve that was a blending of our own
special brand of jazz, blues, afro fusion and hip hop. We were tired
from the journey but as soon as we saw the white sand, the palms waving
in the sea breeze and the stage that had been set up right on the beach
for the 2nd annual Kizimkasi Cultural Festival, we were
rejuvenated and ready to rock!
Bi Kidude’s exact date of birth is unknown but it is said that she is at
least 100 years old! When you look at her wrinkled, craggy face peering
out from the veils of smoke from her cigarette, one can believe that she
is that old but when you see her beat her drum and open her nearly
toothless mouth to sing in that rough baritone voice, the years drop
away and reveal her youthful, energetic, sassy spirit!
Ever since I shook the hand of Bi Kidude a few years ago at the Zanzibar
International Film Festival ZIFF, and felt the power of her grip that
left my hand momentarily numb I wanted to learn more about this
absolutely fascinating musician. The blending of her unique voice with
the strings and harpsichord whine of traditional taarab music gave it a
completely different flavor marking it as her own. And even though I
still blush when I see the group of women in her dance troupe acting out
the blatant sexuality of Unyago on stage, I recognize her bravery and
commitment to keeping this ancient ritual alive which uses traditional
rhythms to teach young women to pleasure their husbands while lecturing
against the dangers of sexual abuse and oppression.
Even though Bi Kidude (who it is said was marked with that name when she
was a little tiny baby) has performed in cities around the world and
received numerous awards such as the prestigious WOMAX (World Music
Award) for her outstanding contribution to music and culture in
Zanzibar, she has yet to receive the recognition in her own country for
a musician of her international stature. I look forward to the day when
there are stamps and statues and streets with the name Bi Kidude
emblazoned on them!
The musicians playing under the banner of Dunia Truth at the Kizimkasi
Festival included producer/composer from Mandugu Digital, Ambrose Akula
Akwabi; saxophonist Khari Allen Lee; keyboardist John Masangwa; drummer
Abdalla ‘Diwee’ Mshakamari; Zemkala’s Yusuf; hip hop legends Jacob ‘JCB’
Makalla of Watengwa and Kalamashaka’s Kamau Ngigi and myself, Mama C.
Dunia Truth can be heard nearly every Saturday at Via Via and at
numerous venues around Arusha.
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