If you're the kind of traveler who loves to dig beneath the surface, connect with locals, and soak up traditions that have been passed down through generations, then Tanzania is about to blow your mind.
1. Zanzibar's New Year, the Shirazi Way
The folks of Zanzibar welcome the new year with Mwaka Kogwa, a traditional Shirazi celebration that includes ritual mock fights (yes, seriously!), singing, dancing, and lots of feasting.
Held every July in the village of Makunduchi, this centuries-old event is more than just a spectacle. The mock fights symbolically cleanse the past year's frustrations, clearing the way for peace and prosperity.
2. Witness the Ngoma Drumming
There's no Tanzanian culture without Ngoma. These drums are a form of storytelling, used in everything from weddings to political rallies to initiation ceremonies.
You'll find Ngoma being played across Tanzania, with each ethnic group bringing its own flavour. The beats are powerful, the dances are hypnotic, and the stories they tell are raw, emotional, and unforgettable. When you hear the rhythm, your feet will move whether you like it or not.
3. The Bagamoyo Arts Festival
If art is your thing, then Bagamoyo will be your spiritual place. This historic coastal town, once a key stop in the caravan trade, is now home to one of Tanzania's most vibrant cultural events: the Bagamoyo Arts Festival. This festival brings together dancers, musicians, painters, and poets from across Africa.
4. Listen to the Taarab Music
Now let's slow things down with Taarab music. It's a musical genre that's as rich and layered as Zanzibar's culture itself.
You can expect;
- Poetic Swahili lyrics
- Arabic-inspired melodies
- Occasional Indian twist thrown in for flavor
Performed with instruments like the oud, qanun, violins, and accordion, Taarab is often the soundtrack to weddings, cultural festivals, and moonlit gatherings. It's romantic, reflective, and dripping with nostalgia.