The forbidden rhythm that served as a secret language
Created in the Seychelles by African slaves as a a way to express sorrow, but also share stories of life and love, the Moutya is a cultural experience mixing a sensual dance, rhythmic drum beatings, and 'lamentation' songs. The movements are sensual but the dancers never touch.
It was mostly danced at night and in secret. After the abolition of slavery, the Moutya was effectively made illegal under British rule through the Drums Legislation of 1935, a law repealed only in 2018. Two years later, the Moutya was inscribed in the Unesco List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Video by Chris Parkinson and Rita Gay, edited by Elisabetta Abrami, Executive Produced by Anna Bressanin. Special thanks to the dance crew Lansiv Mizikal.
