Sauti za Busara: A Victim of its Own Success?

Zanzibar City, Tanzania:

From February 8–12, Zanzibar hosted Sauti za Busara, East Africa’s largest music festival showcasing talent from around Africa but with a particular emphasis on East African artists.

Now in its ninth year, Sauti za Busara has become a regular fixture on tourist calendars, and its website generates over 2 million hits monthly. But does it risk becoming a victim of its own success?

"Perfect"

It is easy to see why tourists and international visitors flock to the festival in such great numbers. Pitched as the “friendliest festival in the world”, the relaxed vibe ensures that Sauti za Busara lives up to this reputation. Large numbers of children and families at the afternoon and evening events contribute to the welcoming feel. The festival is entirely live, featuring talented and energetic performers. And an exciting range of music is performed, from traditional Zanzibari Taarab to spirit dancers to urban hip-hop.

The festival faced severe budgetary challenges this year, and was forced to abandon plans for another day and stage. Yet these financial restraints did not impact the quality of the festival. “Perfect” was the verdict of Iranian festival goer Adi Karam.

Festival performers also enjoy the international attention the festival allows them to tap. Sheria Issa from Tausi Women’s Taarab, explained that the international platform provided by Sauti za Busara is “very, very, very important for us,” and several members of the group credit the festival for helping them go from “nothing” to performing for the UN last November.

A local place

However, Sauti za Busara is not merely a tourist festival or an internationally-focussed event. It also aims to engender respect for local music among the local population. Currently, very few Tanzanian radio stations play African music, focusing instead on American and international artists. The festival directors hope that by showcasing African music on an international platform, local people will understand that they have something “very special, very unique and very valuable”.

Busara Promotions, the NGO which runs Sauti za Busara, relies on donations to make the event accessible for local people. Yusuf Mahmoud, the festival’s director, said Busara wanted something “not just respected by the local people but something they feel part of". The organisers carefully price tickets to try to make them affordable for Tanzanians: locals can gain free entry before 5.30pm, or pay less than $2 for a ticket after that time comparedto $26 for international visitors. Free public transport and extensive radio advertisement are also put on to attract locals. Mahmoud also revealed to Think Africa Press that this year’s very Tanzanian line-up was partially a bid to attract more local audiences.

Tourism industry

Zanzibar derives tangible benefits from hosting the festival. Tourist numbers in Zanzibar during February have risen by about 400% since the festival began, and February has gone from being a quiet time of year for holidaymakers on the archipelago to one of the busiest. Speaking to Think Africa Press, Juma Awesu, a local lifeguard said, “The festival is good, everyone benefits from it. Lots of people work at the festival and so many people make money – like taxi drivers and hotels". Maria Mohammed Hamed Al, the founder of Tausi Women’s Taarab explained that how the festival “supports the local culture. For example, this year there are many groups from Zanzibar on the programme. Also, it helps tourism – hotels from Dar-es-Salaam are complaining that all the tourists are coming here.”

Despite extensive efforts to engage the local population and tangible benefits, Mahmoud estimates that this year, less than half of the attendees were local. This compared to about 90% at the first festival. The numbers of local people attending Sauti za Busara may be rising, but the growth of international visitors attending far outstrips it.

One reason behind this disparate growth appears to be cultural. Mwanapate Ichamis, a local teacher, expressed reticence about Sauti za Busara because of the “party” atmosphere and people drinking. Admitting that more young people are going to the festival, she sees this as symptomatic of a weakening culture. Organisers insist music is turned off completely during the call to prayer, and alcohol is not advertised, but there is a degree to which it is still viewed as being at odds with the surrounding culture. The organisers must therefore tread carefully to ensure that Sauti za Busara is seen as something local people feel “a part of”, rather than alienated from it owing to cultural and religious concerns.

Local and global

Sauti za Busara relies on keeping an appropriate balance between local and international visitors. One of the reasons that international visitors like the festival so much is that it isn’t just an event for tourists, but provides “African music under African skies”, as well as an at least partly African audience. Alongside showcasing a wealth of East African music and trying to engender respect for that music, the importance of local audiences is crucial to the festival's aims.

The next few editions of the festival will almost certainly be friendly and fun as per usual, and the quality and energy of music is sure to attract ever-greater crowds. However, Sauti za Busara risks becoming a victim of its own well-deserved success. Festival organisers will face many challenges as they work to keep the vital local element from being overwhelmed by ever increasing numbers of international visitors.

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