It's called taarab, a fusion of just about everything  African, Arab, Persian, European and Indian music.

Spice and slave traders brought it to the island of Zanzibar centuries ago‚ its poetic lyrics anchored today in the Swahili language

However, music today has changed and fewer young people want to learn the traditional instruments used to play taarab. The Dhow Countries Music Academy is trying to change that by teaching students how to play both traditional and modern instruments.

 TRT World’s Iolo ap Dafydd reports.