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Sega is a dance which originated from the ritual music of Madagascar and the mainland of Africa. A very sexy exotic dance, women in colorful skirts twirl and use graceful hand and arm motions while their feet shuffle along the ground. The skirts are long, ruffled and cut very wide to allow for the spinning movements. The dance itself is the rhythmic swaying of the hips to the pulsating rhythm of the Ravane. It starts with a gentle swaying, to a slow and solemn tune, which gradually rises, consuming the dancers and setting their bodies jerking, stretching and swaying with animated movements to keep pace with the ever-increasing tempo.
The dance is backed by a group of drummers and other instruments: The Ravane, which is a wooden hoop over which has been stretched a piece of goat skin; the Coco (Maracas), which represents the percussion section; the triangle, a triangular piece of metal which tinkles when tapped with an iron rod; and the traditional guitar which was a single string instrument with an arc
attached to an empty "Calebasse". In more recent times, Sega music has been influenced by reggae, creating a fusion music locally known as seggae.
History
Sega was originally sung by men and women who had been sold as slaves but
whose souls had remained sensitive to music. Sega is now a folksong
which has integrated itself within the framework of our folklore. It is
a cry from the soul trying to transcend the miseries and heartaches of
life, while at the same time expressing the universal human desire for
joy and happiness. It tells the joys and sorrows of the peasants and the
fishing folks. Today, Sega and it's beat are a part of every
Mauritian's life.
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