Sega
Sega creole music from Reunion island
Maloya out of sega to Reunion Island to dance with many hips. The sega is very different from Maloya.
For each of these islands, the Sega is different. For example the Sega Rodrigues has two different music:
the Sega drum, very fast and typically African
the ségakordéon, which gives a diatonic button accordion music.
In Seychelles the pace is slower.
The Sega dance is swaying hips and whirling on itself and the man around the woman. Some approaches of this sensual dance characterized by descending gently to the rhythm of the sound (by bending your knees slowly) so that the men and women find themselves kneeling face to face by moving the upper body, just as sensually.
Sega history
The origins of this music and the dance are unknown, although there is no doubt that Sega has its sources in Africa. But, curiously, this music does not exist on the African continent. The Sega was also fed by the festive dance music of Paris in the nineteenth century, the Parisian quadrilles danced as plantation owners and their families. The sega is born with the exile is the music of the slaves.
Far from their country of origin, slaves from different countries met. They did not speak the same language, had different customs, or the same music, but this does not prevent them from communicating about the dancing and singing. And the Creole language emerged, was melted in music and sega was born.
From 1768, travelers returning from Maurice spoke of slave songs and dance. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre spoke of the passion of slaves to the music and harmony of sweet unknown instruments to match songs with every present love themes.
Milbert, in 1803, spoke of sensual dance steps that clearly show their intentions hot. They all speak of “Chega” or “tchéga” which later became the sega.
Sega the word comes from the east coast of Africa. In Mozambique, tchega refers to a dance very close to the Spanish fandango. Sega the Swahili word means the act of rolling up his clothes, gesture typical of Sega dancers.
The History of Sega Reunion, is intimately linked to that of Maloya. Maloya, a term recently introduced (appeared circa 1930) was called in 1750, “Tchega”, “Tsiega” and “Sega” original Swahili Portuguese word denoting the action of his clothes back, characteristic of Bantu dances.
From the Second Empire (1852), others are emerging: the original English quadrille, the schottische, the polka, the mazurka, which are followed by dance group as “chicken.” The series ends with freestyle. This area of freedom was crucial in the birth of Sega. In the mid-nineteenth century, economic prosperity of the island has a wider distribution of the quadrille and the need for musicians increases.
Of black musicians are then introduced to the music: it is the “Jouars.” Because they belong to another culture, they intentionally or unintentionally changed the air, especially in rhythm: this marks the beginning of the creolization of quadrille. Having learned to play European instruments, they use the last part of quadrille to play their music.
Continuum from binary to ternary, this dance called early “Creole quadrille” will settle all the figures of the quadrille. The phenomenon is so important that the escape of Sega shows to be played and danced everywhere: it is the popular music of reunion island.
Ségatier called the player or singer Sega.
Sega Instruments.
The various sega instruments are:
the maravane: made of sugar cane line, is rectangular in shape. It’s kind of box of rocks or metal balls. The musician shakes the instrument at the desired rate to accompany the singers and other instruments.
the ravane: Sega is the centerpiece of a drum carved wood Chinese guava. It is covered with a goatskin stretched.
the triangle is as ubiquitous
the bobre: consists of a piece of wood laid by two ropes and attached to a gourd. This instrument is hardly used today in the sega.
Sega musicians.
Sega recognized singers in Mauritius, are called Ti Frère, Serge Lebrasse, Jean-Claude Gaspard. Born June 25, 1930, at Rose Hill, Serge wrote a Sega Lebrasse on Father Jacques-Désiré Laval. More recently, this music has electrified including guitar, bass, brass. Groups are recognized on the island as Cassiya, Zotsa.
In the 1980s, some singers like Kaya and the Group Ras Natty Baby Ratsitatane or created a new trend called seggae, a mixture of sega and reggae.
In 1978, “Anita My Love” by Mario Armel ranked hit parade in Germany.
In 1980, Maxime Le Forestier did a cover of Ambalaba, which was sung by a Mauritian sega Claudio Veeraragoo in 1964.
In 1991, “the Ala li la” Denis Azor was selected for the sega dance of the summer.
The Sega has also evolved into rap and hip hop group Grand Bay Gangsta Beach with their song Kriyé.
At the Reunion, the Sega is a bit different from the Mauritian Sega. Sega A notable advocate group reunionese is Apolonia, who for 20 years, defends this style of music with a lot of perseverance and success.
