Kassomo Athanas Mkallyah

This study examines the affects and effects of indigenous Tanzanian music traditions used in church worship in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It determines the specific musical and cultural attributes that make indigenous Tanzanian music traditions effective when employed in church worship in Dar es Salaam. The study proposes that the power of indigenous Tanzanian music traditions in creating a heightened religious experience is inherent in the music itself and in its cultural affiliation. It reveals that the power of indigenous Tanzanian music to arouse deep and demonstrable emotions among church members is attributable to the characteristics of the music and its cultural usage. The strength of these culturally rich indigenous Tanzanian music traditions can be traced to their African origins and the traditional attributes and aesthetics that provoke a heightened religious experience during worship.