Hukwe Zawose

Born: 1938 or 1940 in Dodoma, Tanganyika. Died: December 30th 2003 in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. As a young boy, Hukwe Zawose's voice stood apart from the rest of his people, the Wagogo, who always sang while harvesting their fields. Soon he would travel to other villages to amuse working Tanzanian people. Later, having grown exponentially as a singer, he travelled farther and wider, leaving behind legends of his astonishing five-octave voice everywhere he went. He grew as a musician too, playing the ilimba (a large thumb piano), filimbi (a traditional flute), izezes (traditional violins) and nguga (ankle bells). Zawose became sort of a living legend after being asked to perform for the prime minister, Julius Nyerere. Fantastic stories of mythical power rose, making Zawose an immortal and divine being; his voice possessed magical healing powers. Despite his great fame he continued to live his life traditionally with his four wives and fifteen children, one of whom, Charles, was his constant companion on stage. Hukwe Zawose is considered a pioneer and one of the most famous musicians in the world music scene.