Ile de la Réunion: Maloya

Maloya is a style of music unique to La Réunion in the Indian Ocean. It is the secular version of a sacred ritual that has its roots in the music of African slaves – a call-and-response backed by simple instrumentation.

Firmin Viry was born in 1936 to a Creole mother and Tamul (Tamil) father, his grandparents originating from India and Mozambique. With support from the local Communist party, Viry was largely responsible for the current existence of maloya, having clandestinely performed it within his family circle during the period that the French authorities saw fit to ban it. He sings the lead vocal on most of the tracks, with his family group responding. He also provides the percussive rhythm, by way of the kayamb, a flat wooden box filled with dried seeds; further accompaniment coming from a musical triangle, piker (beaten bamboo log), rouleur (large drum) and djembé. It's compelling music with Viry singing in French Creole and sounding like an old Cajun singer as he encourages with cries of ‘Allez!’, ‘Roulez!’, ‘Doucement!’. With informative sleevenotes, and lyrics written in Creole, French and English, it is easy to follow the song texts, and fascinating to learn the background to this charming musical style.