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IN TIME WITH THE SEGA

Sega is a well-known, typical music genre across the Mascarene archipelago, of which Mauritius forms part. In Mauritius, traditional sega is called “sega tipik” – it is well known for its wild rhythm, festive soul and enchanting lyrics. This musical heritage is a true reflection of the Mauritian way of life…

To bring this festival of notes and colours to life, sega artists use different instruments, including the ravanne, the maravanne and the triangle. The ravane is the sega’s masterpiece; this big drum carved from guava wood and covered with taut goatskin gives rhythm to the other instruments. The maravanne, on the other hand, is made from sugarcane sticks aligned to form a rectangle. This “box” containing little stones, metal balls or seeds, is shaken to the desired rhythm by musicians, complementing the singing and other instruments forming the song. The triangle is also omnipresent.

Sega is rather “inclusive”, with other instruments being added to the songs every now and again to accentuate the rhythm. In a sega concert, we can find the makalapo, the serp or even the accordion, often used by the famous sega group, Ti-Frère.

Creole songs match the orchestra’s melody, telling tales about the lives of Mauritians: their joys, their sorrows, their love stories. The “king of sega” is called Ti-Frère, his many songs are great classics of Mauritian music. There are also many other sega artists, including Serge Lebrasse, the Cassiya group, or Kaya, the inventor of the seggae, a musical mix between reggae and sega.

With sega, your immersion at the heart of the Mauritian culture is guaranteed!