The Seychelles Musician’s Association (SEYMAS), represented by Jany de Letourdie, Patel Esparon, Alain Bacco, and Jean-Marc Volcy, met Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, and Sophia Rosalie, the Research Officer, and Berthilda Walter, a Research Assistant, both research staff from the National Heritage Section of the Department of Culture. Present also at the meeting that was held at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture ESPACE Offices was Gabriel Essack from the Office of PS Benjamine Rose.
The aim of the meeting called for by the SEYMAS was to discuss the submission by Seychelles for the MOUTYA music and dance to become recognized by the UNESCO as a unique cultural asset of the Seychelles. The SEYMAS, as a body of musicians and artists have been working on this project alongside the Heritage Section of the Department of Culture, and together they have now reached the point where the Ministry of Tourism and Culture must invest to complete the submission inclusive of filming MOUTYA Shows, recording them and showing the mass participation behind this unique dance and music of Seychelles.
“Today SEYMAS and the representatives of the National Heritage Section of the Department of Culture agreed that we need to keep working on the MOUTYA Submission, but that the one for the Slave Ruins of Mission Lodge needs to be completed and submitted first before everyone focusses on this second submission,” said Minister St.Ange after the meeting.
A second point discussed by SEYMAS and Minister Alain St.Ange was the challenge issued by President James Michel for the island’s Festival Kreol to become the biggest single cultural event staged in Seychelles. Different ideas and options were tabled and analyzed.
Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) . For more information on Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture Alain St.Ange, click here.
