Rankont Kreol Music Creation Caps Second Edition in Victoria

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Seychelles is hosting the second edition of Rankont Kreol, a major cultural gathering taking place in the Kreol capital city of Victoria. The event has been organised by the National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, and is set to conclude on Friday March 8. The gathering brings together artists, scholars and cultural practitioners from across the Indian Ocean to celebrate the shared Kreol heritage of the region.

Yesterday, the Seychelles NATION newspaper met with artists from Mauritius, Madagascar, La Reunion, Rodrigues and Seychelles at the National Theatre in Mont Fleuri during a full session to create a new piece of music to close the conference. The collaborative composition is intended to symbolise the unity and creative energy of the Kreol-speaking communities of the Indian Ocean. The musicians worked through the morning and afternoon to refine the piece.

The programme has two main components. The first is a conference covering several topics related to the Kreol language, its literature, culture and gastronomy. The second component is a Kreasyon Mizikal, or musical creation, performed by artists from several Kreol-speaking countries. The two strands are designed to complement one another and to highlight the depth and diversity of the Kreol cultural experience.

Artists involved in the historic project include Sanley Monnaie (Seychelles), Vallen Pierre Louis (Rodrigues), Rajery (Madagascar), Davy Sicard (La Reunion), Eric Triton (Mauritius), Gerard Louis (Mauritius), Brian Matombe (Seychelles), and Jean Marc Volcy (Seychelles). Each artist brings a distinctive musical background, ranging from traditional Sega and Maloya to contemporary Kreol fusion, contributing to a rich and layered final composition. The final piece is expected to blend these styles into a single work that captures the spirit of the gathering.

The closing performance on Friday is expected to draw a large audience of cultural enthusiasts, diplomats and members of the public. Organisers have indicated that the outcomes of the conference, including any new agreements on cultural cooperation, will be published in a formal communiqué after the event. The second edition of Rankont Kreol is seen as an important step in strengthening cultural ties between the Kreol-speaking nations of the Indian Ocean.