In Stone town, Zanzibar, we walked down a narrow alley way as dusk arrived, quickly turning right and up a few concrete steps, where we left our shoes, scattered amongst many others. We were welcomed warmly into the small concrete room, and young boys began to mingle around us, adjusting their white coats and looking for hats that fitted their heads. We sat against the wall in the corner, waiting for the magic to begin, feeling lucky to have received the invite through Kathryn from Participate Now (a local NGO). It was especially magical to hear them for the first time in the setting of their rehearsal room, but equally special to hear them perform outdoors a few days later in their local neighborhood. As the sound began to emerge, it was an experience unlike any other, where the music literally grabbed one’s soul and held onto it for the entire performance. The beats coming from a used paint can lid, combined with traditional instruments and voices like angels was a chilling combination somewhere between song and chanting The ancient Islamic art form of Maulidi ya Homu is an unusual combination, being one of the only prayer groups to incorporate beats into the singing of prayer. They are a group not to be missed. In January 2007, the group traveled to Paris for their first performance in Europe. The group also performs regularly in the Sauti za Busara, an international music festival in Zanzibar.
