The Music of Zenj: Arab-African crossovers in the music of Zanzibar

Abstract

Beginning with early evidence of crossover in the music of Zanzibar, the paper considers reflections of Middle Eastern and Arab culture contact in the music of this Indian Ocean island. The paper describes rhythms closely associated with the Hadramawt and usage of instruments more or less generic to the so-called dhow countries. It explores too the connections between the Arabic mawwal (referring broadly to a poem in colloquial Arabic with instrumental accompaniment) and the Zanzibari concept of kumawili (a vocal improvisation sung on the syllables "ah" or "ya leil"). Finally the paper describes at least two performance genres, the maulidi (the reading of the life story of the Prophet Mohammed) and taarab (entertainment music prevalent throughout the Swahili Coast) exemplifying this enduring cultural contact.

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