The sound of Mauritian music is built on a distinctive set of traditional instruments. While modern genres have embraced electric guitars, synthesisers, and studio production, the acoustic instruments at the heart of sega remain culturally irreplaceable. Understanding these instruments is understanding the soul of Mauritian music.
The Ravanne
The ravanne is the most important instrument in Mauritian music. This large frame drum — typically 50-70 centimetres in diameter — is made from a circular wooden hoop with a goatskin membrane. It produces the driving, syncopated rhythms that define sega.
Before each performance, the ravanne is heated near a fire to tighten the skin and achieve the bright, resonant tone that players seek. This ritual of fire-tuning is itself a significant part of sega tradition. The instrument is played with bare hands, using a combination of open tones, slaps, and muted strikes to create complex rhythmic patterns.
The ravanne is not just a timekeeping instrument — it is the lead voice of the sega ensemble. The drummer sets the tempo, signals transitions, builds intensity, and responds to the dancers in real time.
The Maravanne
The maravanne is a rectangular rattle made from sugarcane flower stems tied together with dried seeds or small pebbles sealed inside. When shaken, it produces a shimmering, continuous rhythmic texture — like the sound of waves on sand or wind through sugar cane fields.
In the sega ensemble, the maravanne provides a rhythmic bed that sits on top of the ravanne's deep pulse. It is typically played with both hands using a horizontal shaking motion, and skilled players can vary the intensity and texture by adjusting the speed and angle of the shake.
The maravanne is uniquely Mauritian. While similar seed rattles exist across Africa and the Americas, the maravanne's rectangular construction from sugarcane stems reflects the agricultural landscape of Mauritius, where sugar cane has been the dominant crop for centuries.
The Triangle
The simplest instrument in the sega ensemble — a bent metal rod struck with a metal beater — plays a crucial role. The triangle provides a high-pitched, cutting accent that punctuates the deeper sounds of the ravanne and maravanne. Its metallic ring adds brightness and definition to the rhythmic texture.
In a live sega performance, the triangle is often the first instrument the audience can pick out, its clear, piercing tone rising above the drums. The player strikes on the offbeat, creating the distinctive lilting feel that makes sega irresistibly danceable.
The Bobre
Less well-known than the ravanne, the bobre is a musical bow — a curved wooden stick with a single string, attached to a gourd resonator. It is played by striking the string with a thin stick while varying the pitch by pressing the string against the bow. The gourd amplifies the sound and adds a buzzing, resonant quality.
The bobre is not commonly used in modern sega performances, but it is historically significant. It connects Mauritian music directly to similar instruments found across Southeast Africa and Madagascar, tracing the musical lineage of the island's enslaved ancestors.
Modern Instruments in Mauritian Music
While the traditional instruments remain culturally central, modern Mauritian music incorporates a full range of contemporary instruments:
- Electric guitar: Became standard in sega from the 1960s onwards, adding harmonic depth and melodic possibilities
- Bass guitar: Essential in seggae, providing the deep, melodic bass lines borrowed from reggae
- Keyboards/synthesisers: Used for harmonic pads, organ sounds, and in modern productions for electronic textures
- Drum kit: Often used alongside or replacing the ravanne in contemporary performances
- Drum machines and DAWs: Modern sega and seggae producers use digital tools, though many still record live ravanne and maravanne for authenticity
The Instrument as Cultural Identity
In Mauritius, traditional instruments carry meaning beyond their sound. The ravanne is a symbol of Creole identity and ancestral memory. The maravanne connects music to the landscape of sugar cane that shaped the island's history. Playing these instruments is an act of cultural continuity — each performance echoes generations of musicians who came before.
This is why, even as Mauritian music evolves with technology, the traditional instruments persist. A modern sega track produced entirely on a laptop may be a great song, but a sega performance with a fire-tuned ravanne, a handmade maravanne, and a ringing triangle is a cultural experience.
Hear These Instruments
Discover recordings featuring traditional Mauritian instruments from local creators on Kaya Music Island. Available on iOS and Android.
Related reading: Deep dive into the history and craft of the ravanne. Learn about sega, the genre these instruments power. Or explore all genres on our Mauritian Music hub page.
