AS OLD AS MY TONGUE: THE MYTH AND LIFE OF BI KIDUDE (Andy Jones) Rating: NNNN
Bi Kidude’s energy and vocal power are phenomenal. The Zanzibari folksinger is so old that no one from the East African archipelago knows her age. But there she is, dancing, beating a drum, wailing at the top of her lungs, smoking and vigorously sweeping her home in this rich documentary about her mysterious career.
Kidude lived through Zanzibar’s revolution against English colonial rule, but it seems like she’s been around since before the Arabic-influenced taarab music she sings even existed. She’s known as the first woman to perform publicly in Zanzibar.
Good thing Kidude’s story is told so thoroughly, her own words crosscut with a variety of interviews. There’s also a priceless twist that would have been impossible to stage. Harbourfront Centre, Friday (July 13), as part of World Rhythms.
