Bi Kidude

Bi Kidude
Born	Fatuma binti Baraka c. 1910 Sultanate of Zanzibar
Died	17 April 2013(2013-04-17) (aged 102–103)
Nationality	Tanzanian
Occupation	Singer
Style	Taarab
Awards	WOMEX Award Medal for Arts and Sports
Musical career
Origin	Kati District, Unguja South Region, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Genres	Ngoma music
Instruments	Vocals • Ngoma drums
Labels	Independent

Fatuma binti Baraka (Arabic: فاطمة بنت بركة‎; 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 Siti binti Saad. Born in the village of Kitumba in 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 was believed to be the oldest touring singer in the world before her death. 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 film maker Andrew Jones.

Awards and nominations

Honours

Order		Country	Year
	Medal for Arts and Sports	Tanzania	2012

Awards

• 2005: WOMEX award

Nominations

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

See also

• Music of Tanzania
• Taarab

External links

• 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)