MUHARAM, SITI - Siti Of Unguja (Sealed) (CD)

Siti Of Unguja tells the story of pioneering women, of the "golden voice" of Siti Muharam, heiress to the singular legacy of her great grandmother, the mother of taarab, Siti Binti Saad. Siti Of Unguja has a transformative atmosphere, brimming with romance, passion and protest. Zanzibar is an island archipelago that lies six degrees south of the equator and 30 miles off the East African coast out in the Indian Ocean. It is known for its spices, traditional Dhow sailing boats, and being a mercantile trading capital of Swahili culture. The modern history of Zanzibar can be animated through the life and legacy of one artist, Siti Binti Saad. Born in 1890 in the small fishing village of Fumba, on Unguja (Zanzibar's largest island), she became the first Zanzibari recording artist and her recordings sold in tens of thousands across the Swahili world. The tracks recorded for Siti Of Unguja demonstrate Siti Binti Saad's eclectic influence on Zanzibari taarab and her great granddaughter, Siti Muharam imbues the compositions with feeling. Siti Muharam's golden voice carries the poetry and invents a timeless passion. It is Muharam's deep humility and love that brings the spirit of these two women together