Malika

More than a thousand years have passed since the first Arab, Indian, and Persian traders reached the coast of East Africa. Swahili society was produced by the mixture of these groups of immigrants with the native population and its traditions. Tarabu is the musical likeness of this multicultural society. The melodic and tonal systems, whose smallest unit is a quarter tone, clearly show Arabic influence. The rhythms and texts of the songs are rooted in ancient native Swahili traditions but also use Spanish, Indian-Pakistani, or Latin American melodies and rhythms. On the coast of East Africa, Malika, also known as Asha Abdo, is without question the most popular female musician of today.