Traditional Mauritian Sega Tipik is a vibrant performing art representing the Creole community. It is performed by families at informal gatherings or in public spaces.
Sega was popular on Mauritian Creole islands in the 1700s. It is normally sung in Mauritian Creole or Réunionese Creole by descendants of slaves. Sega is also popular in Agaléga and Rodrigues as well as Seychelles, but the music and dances differ, as well as the respective creole languages on these islands.
It is primarily danced music but is also used for dirges and as part of traditional exorcisms. It is often emotional and improvised and expresses the tribulations of enslaved people. There are a variety of dance forms associated with Sega music, which originated among Mauritius' slave populations, appeared on Réunion, and eventually spread throughout Seychelles. Sega music is most commonly performed in 6/8 meters.
Despite the lack of definitive information about its origins outside the islands, Sega is believed to have Afro-Malagasy roots and to be a fusion of African or Malagasy music with European music. European influences can be heard in polka, waltz, and quadrilles.
Gatan Benoit suggested that sega originated from Madagascar, and Boswell notes that famedihana, a Merina death ritual, may be connected to sega. Arago, on the other hand, identifies it with (t)chéga, an African rhythm from Mozambique. He says that it has origins in African music, specifically from Mozambique and Angola. Sega guitarist Jacques Cantin termed it "African."
Traditionally, Sega songs often speak of love or address everyday challenges and concerns. The meaning is often enacted through the dance, in which women wear long skirts and petticoats, and men wear rolled-up trousers, colorful shirts, and straw hats, a tradition passing on the clothing of their ancestors.
The main practitioners are the singers, dancers, and musicians, who pass on their skills either through formal participation or through imitation. Sega breaks down cultural and class barriers and creates opportunities for intercultural encounters. It also represents the multiculturalism of Mauritian society, and unites various groups around a shared Mauritian heritage. Some practitioners also make the instruments and impart their skills through informal apprenticeship.
As modern forms of sega evolve, they are combined with genres such as jazz, zouk, and their fusion genre with reggae known as Seggae. A few elements of African music have been added to the genre since the 1980s and now it is popular across the islands of Mauritius, Réunion, Seychelles, Comoros, Mayotte, and Rodrigues, as well as Madagascar.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/traditional-mauritian-sega-01003) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_(genre))