Bi Kidude

Fatuma binti Baraka (c. 1910 – 17 April 2013), popularly known as Bi Kidude, was a Zanzibari-born Tanzanian taarab singer. She has been called the "queen of taarab and Unyago music" and was inspired by earlier taarab singer Siti binti Saad.

Born in the village of Kitumba in the modern-day Kati District of Unguja South Region and raised in the village of Mfagimaringo, Bi Kidude was the daughter of a coconut seller in colonial Zanzibar. Bi Kidude's exact date of birth is unknown and much of her life story is uncorroborated, but she is believed to have been the oldest touring singer in the world during her final active years.^[1][2]

Bi Kidude was married and divorced twice. Having no children of her own, she took part in traditional Unyago coming-of-age ceremonies, where teenage girls receive social and sexual education. She became known by her nickname Bi Kidude (Kiswahili for "little grandmother"), because of her petite stature and as a polite form of addressing an older woman. In the course of her eventful life, she worked as a healer and expert on medicinal plants, a henna artist and, of course, a musician.^[3]

In her younger days, she settled in the Shangani neighbourhood of Zanzibar's capital and began attending taarab clubs, where she immersed herself in the culture of female-led taarab, whose outspoken lyrics often criticise men for their sexist behaviour. Gradually, she became a local celebrity, but remained relatively unknown outside Zanzibar for a long time.

In the 1980s, she became nationally recognised through an appearance on television. With her rebellious behaviour and her refusal to observe the separation of male and female gatherings, she disregarded conservative social attitudes, which was described by many as "haram".^[3]

For decades, the singer toured Zanzibar and sang songs in Swahili and Arabic. Bi Kidude performed at countless ceremonies and festivals such as the Festival of the Dhow Lands, where she was often the main attraction. She travelled abroad with the Sahib El-Ahri Band and later with the Twinkling Stars, touring France, England, Scandinavia, the Middle East, South East Asia and Japan. She often performed on stage with the Culture Musical Club of Zanzibar, a group including some of the best taarab musicians from the island. Until shortly before her death, Bi Kidude appeared on several occasions at the Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar.^[3]

In 2005, Bi Kidude received the WOMEX award for her contribution to music and culture in Zanzibar. She was the subject of two documentaries by filmmaker Andrew Jones.

• 2005: WOMEX award

• 2011 Tanzania Music Awards - Best Collaboration & Best Traditional Song ('Ahmada' with Offside trick)

• Music of Tanzania
• Taarab

• Bi Kidude Honored with World Music Award
• The Venerable Queen of Taarab and Unyago Archived 2018-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
• As Old As My Tongue: the myth and life of Bi Kidude documentary film on Bi Kidude.
• Biographic Notes
• Some recordings (An interview)