“The Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar has historically been a meeting place of cultures, from the Indian spice trade to the east African slave trade. As such, its music, taarab, blends Qur’anic verses, east African polyrhythm and Indian melodies. Traditionally it was performed only by men. But in the early 20th century, Zanzibari singer Siti Binti Saad reimagined what had been formal court musi”
