Creole Sounds from the Indian Ocean

The volcanic archipelago of the Mascarenes in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar includes La Réunion, Mauritius and the smaller island of Rodrigues, home to the trio Sakili. They perform the traditional music known as séga, which is popular throughout the islands and as far north as the Seychelles. Sega has its roots as a resistance to colonial masters during slavery – a music and dance style forbidden for many years by the colonial authorities and Catholic Church.

On the island of Rodrigues the prominent musical variation is known as séga tanbour, which has a slightly faster pace than the music from the other islands and is driven by the frame drum, kabosy (box-shaped wooden guitar) and accordion. Sung in the local French Creole dialect, Rodriguais, the music has references to other Creole musical styles such as Caribbean, Cajun/zydeco and inevitably colonial influences (polka, mazurka and waltz). A further variation can be heard on the track ‘Solitaire’, which is séga blues played in a New Orleans style with a sombre funereal passage followed by an upbeat swinging blues. Joyous and performed with great flair and gusto.