3.6 An introduction to sega: the music and dance of mauritius

Module overview

A distinctive style of music and dance, called sega , comes from the islands near the east coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean. It is a blend of musical traditions from Europe, Africa, and Madagascar, and India, and like many other island-based musics that borrow from a variety of traditions, it features lively rhythms along with Western melodies and harmonies.

This module includes suggestions for a short classroom lecture/discussion on the subject and for a dance activity and singing activity for the classroom. The discussion suggestions includes basic Information about Mauritius , a description of Elements of Sega Music , and Suggestions for Discussing Recordings . These lessons could be part of a unit on:

• African diaspora music
• Music traditions of the world
• History of imperial-era European exploration and colonization
• Island cultures
• French Creole cultures

Other suggestions for integrating these lessons with other subjects:

• If the class is studying extinction, biodiversity and environmental issues, or island biology in science: The extinction of the dodo, a large flightless pigeon that only lived on Mauritius, is one of the most famous human-caused extinctions. Loss of habitat, introduction of non-native species, and over-hunting, all of which are also present-day environmental issues, are all thought to have played a part in the dodo's demise.
• The island has an area of about 720 square miles and is 500 miles from Madagascar, a large island that is the nearest large land mass. Young students may find it interesting and instructive to compare these statistics with local areas and distances. For example, what is 500 miles from your school, and what would 720 square miles in your community include and exclude?

Class lecture and discussion: an introduction to mauritius and its music

Goals and standards

• Goals - Following the presentation, students should be able to locate Mauritius on a world map or globe, and give an age-appropriate description of its history and culture. The student should also be able to recognize and describe basic elements of sega music.
• Objectives - The students will locate Mauritius on a map, listen to a lecture on the history of the island and its music, discuss basic elements of the music, and listen to or watch audio or video examples of the music.
• Grade Level - K-12 (adaptable)
• Student Prerequisites - none
• Teacher Expertise - Teacher expertise in music is not necessary to present this activity.
• Time requirements - 15-25 minutes. Can be combined with one of the activities below to fill one (approximately 45-minute) class period.
• Evaluation - Assess student learning by including questions covering the material in a unit test, or by quizzing the students orally.
• Music Standards Addressed - National Standards for Music Education standard 9 (understanding music in relation to history and culture).
• Other Standards Addressed - The activity also addresses National Standards in the Social Studies standard 1 (culture) and 9 (global connections).
• Extensions - If at all possible, the lecture should be followed by at least one of the activities below, or a similar activity that makes the information more concrete and memorable. If possible, tie the lesson to other subjects being studied. Older students can be asked to do independent research on some subject relating to the island and its music.