Seychelles delegation stages an impressive performance at official opening of La Reunion s Festival Liberte Metisse
Almasalla Arab Travel Portal News – The 4th editions of Festival “ Liberte Metisse” was officially launched in La Reunion Island on Thursday 19th December. As darkness fell on Madoi, a former coffee plantation of the island s post slavery era, the powerful voice of Seychellois poet Raspyek submerged the stage. His voice posed on the beats of the ‘Bonm’, one of the Seychelles traditional musical instrument. The call by Raspyek brought on stage a group of Seychellois dancers dressed in slave attires. The one hour performance culminated with songs of Joe Samy , Michelle Marengo and an impressive choreographed series of dances by the Seychelles National Cultural Troupe.
For this edition of the Festival, Vanilla Island member states were present to show support for an even now listed on the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Events. Jean-Francois Sita, Vice President of La Reunion Regional Council with responsibility for Culture, Dr Karl Mootoosamy, CEO of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Attoumani Harouna, Vice President of the Tourism Committee of Mayotte, Eric Koller, President of the Madagascar Tourism Office, Didier Robert, President of Regional Council of La Reunion and Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture and also the sitting President of Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands.
Each and every representative of Member States said when they addressed the official opening of the Festival Liberte Metisse that they remained committed to the concept of the Vanilla Islands. They all congratulated La Reunion for staging an event now featured of the Organisation’s Calendar of Events and all undertook publicly to support these regional events organised by Member States.
In his opening remark Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture said that tourism and culture should co-exists.
“Tourism cannot exist without culture, because when culture is brought into the equation it is the people of the islands who are being recognised as the base for our tourism industry. Festival Liberte Metisse demonstrated the spirit of La Reunion Island to use culture as a vector of tourism’’ Minister Alain St.Ange said.
Minister St.Ange congratulated La Reunion for hosting the event and for listing the festival on the Vanilla Island’s calendar of event
"Today we can say that the Seychelles delegation feels at home on your Island. We are gathered here as brothers and sisters to participate with you in this festival. We are here to support La Reunion, the people of La Reunion and President Didier Robert for staging an event that marks an era where each and every island of grouping lived that difficult and dark period. The festival is therefore not only important for La Reunion but also the Vanilla Islands grouping.”
Minister St.Ange added that the slavery era remained a dark period of our Island’s history.
“The diversity of our nation is rooted from this period. Today we can proudly say that this period of history, forged us a nation. The Festival Liberte Metisse is a celebration of the abolition of slavery and also the celebration of the successful path we have all created to be what we are today as the proud Creole People of the Indian Ocean. We can today say that from our past we have come out stronger and that we are blessed with a rich culture and heritage and with a people recognised across the world who are living in unity through their diversity’" Minister Alain St.Ange said.
The colourful official opening of the Festival Liberte Metisse saw the participation of artists from La Reunion, Madagascar, Comores and Mayotte.
