Category: Music

At in Tanzania Music studio Mzuka Records supports talented Tanzanian youth to produce songs and music videos.

Music Dance group “Sanaa Sana”

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Hi!

It’s Hikaru. I am one of internship students at the Dar es Salaam compound!

 

This time I would like to introduce one of the music groups that works with Art in Tanzania, Sanaa Sana. They mainly perform overseas, but their main base is Dar es Salaam.

The video from their studio are posted on YouTube!

Sanaa Sana from FB

The Sanaa Sana style is “Traditional, yet Original”. Their dances and music are a combination of styles from Tanzanian tribes or other African nations. They actively incorporate new ideas into their art. For example, the band uses Tanzanian traditional instruments and modern electric guitars. Dancers perform acrobatic choreographs which are not traditional Tanzanian; they implement styles to respond to the demands and the world audiences.

 

Art in Tanzania have various types of projects for intern/ volunteer students; working with Sanaa Sana is one of great examples., It is a great opportunity for students to study about African music. However, this opportunity is not just for them.

“Be original, be unique from others” is an important part of artists. Sanaa Sana’s style does not stay inside of “traditional” or “African”. Many of different characteristic of music can take a role in their performance. Additionally, skills of media are also needed to promote their activities. Volunteering and interning here offers and excellent chance to practice your skills, share your knowledge, and discover your new possibilities.

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There are several objectives that Sanaa Sana tries to leach trough their art. Supporting young people to get involved in “art” and promoting “human rights” are two of their main goals. In Tanzania, school does not put effort into artistic education. Only “drawing” is recognized as a needed class, says a local staff member of the Dar es Salam office. Tanzanian kids do not have chances to develop their other artistic passions, such as singing, playing, dancing, painting, and so on. Members of Sanaa Sana claim that “Now days, there is a music major in universities, BUT the quality of lesson is very poor and there isn’t much that talented students can learn from it.” They believe that their success helping Tanzania to recognize the importance and power of art.

 

“Human rights” is the other big topic of Sanaa Sana’s message. Tanzania still needs to spread the general concept of human rights more widely. The rights of women, children, and disabled people are much further behind. In addition, Tanzania is struggling with corruption at all levels. The corrupt government and society is a huge wall for Tanzanian citizens to learn their and other’s rights. Sanaa Sana often handles these concepts to let other countries know the current situation in Tanzanian and to collect grants.

 

Experiences with Art in Tanzania can let you learn more about your study field and your knowledge will affect local people’s education. Please check our website for more details on intern programs including music/ art but also human right, sports, media, business, and others.

Check out website for more details!

Mama’ Songs – For African Child

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Tanzania Children SongsThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland grant to Art in Tanzania has helped us to collect children songs as project name ‘mamas songs’. The mamas songs project aims to collect traditional music, sang in tribal languages, from various areas of Tanzania, specifically lullabies and songs for children, as well as songs for special occasions and ceremonies. This website has been created so that the Tanzanian people, as well as foreign people, can hear and learn about the various aspects of their countries musical culture and to preserve musical traditions. As all of the material on this site is downloadable free of charge, we encourage people to use the resources for teaching and singing in schools.

There are around 130 tribes in Tanzania, each with it’s own unique language, religion and social system, although Swahili is also commonly spoken in these tribes. Songs have been collected from various tribes in order to display the musical and cultural differences between them. Some of the music shown on this site is in the form of a Tanzana Children Songstraditional lullaby, with the mother is singing to the child. However, some of the pieces are to be sung in larger Tanzania children songsgroups (recordings may not reflect this, but where this is the case it is noted). Although the main focus of the mamas songs project was to collect lullabies and children’s songs sang by women, we have also branched out into male singers and adult songs for special events and ceremonies.

As well as traditional tribal songs, the project has also gathered Swahili children’s songs. This is different in the sense that Swahili is the official language of Tanzania and hence the music gathered in Swahili may be more modern and universal, as oppose to the more unique tribal music.

For some of the songs we have managed to create notation, which has not been available before, due to the free nature of the music and the inability of the people to notate music. Although we have not managed to notate all of the music, some example songs are accompanied by notation. Most of the songs have also been translated into Swahili and English, so that the listener can gain a greater understanding of the meaning of the music.

We wish to constantly expand this website and find more music. If you would like to help us please send us more songs and ideas to info@artintanzania.org