Tanzania: Marafiki and Haba na Haba festivals to be held 3–6 October

Organised by Art for Social and Economic Development in Africa (ASEDEVA), this year the two festivals have been combined, with music and dance artists sharing the stage.

The shows will take place at The Slow Leopard, Dar es Salaam, on 3 October, at the Makumbusho/Village Museum in Dar es Salaam on 4 and 5 October, and at Firefly in Bagamoyo on 6 October.

Now in its fifth edition, the Marafiki Music Festival brings together local and international artists to perform, exchange experiences, and network every October in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo. The festival also invites stakeholders and experts in the cultural and creative industries sector to share knowledge with artists with a view to building their capacity and boosting their earning power.

The Haba na Haba International Dance Festival, meanwhile, is a traditional and contemporary dance event held annually in Dar es Salaam. The festival provides training and a performance platform for local and international artists. It also seeks to establish a dance network and increase professionalism in the dance sector in East Africa and the world.

This year, the Marafiki Music Festival has organised a number of training workshops spanning three days, between 3 and 5 October, followed by a number of panel discussions.

The Marafiki Festival believes workshops play an important role in growing the careers of artists, music curators, event organisers, and even managers.

The workshops will be facilitated by local and international industry players, including Tanzanian musician and events organiser Dorine Mugisha and Ghanaian dance lecturer Kofia Anthonio, among others. Anthonio will hold a session titled Moving Muses: Exploring the Artist’s Source of Creativity in Contemporary African Dance.

The organisers are calling on those interested in attending the workshops to register by calling or sending an SMS to (255) 0754 325 213 or sending an email to info@marafikifestival.org. There is no limit to how many workshops you can attend.

The festival will also see more than 21 bands/artists perform live. The official artist line-up is as follows:

• Sholo Mwamba
• Barobaro
• Liboi
• Humphrey Mubba
• Tina Manzala
• Chudo Master
• CAC Fusion
• Nantea Dance Company
• Wabantu
• Danae & Dionysios
• Ras Gwandumi & Bongo Roots Band
• Lucky Dance Theatre
• Dorine Mugisha
• Amini & the Band
• Gloria Ugwarelojo Biachi
• Luc Sanou
• K-Zungu
• MUDA Dance
• Safari Rockers Band
• Feel Free Project
• DJ Kwaro

Tickets to the festival are available at ASEDEVA – Kinondoni, Nafasi Art Space – Mikocheni, Firefly Bagamoyo – Bagamoyo, and Alliance Française – Upanga.

For booking and more information, contact the organisers at info@marafikifestival.org or call (255) 754 325 213. You can also visit the official website.