Beachcomber Magazine 02

Linzy Bacbotte AMAZING GRACE One of the great voices in Sega, spearhead of everything Creole and defender of women’s rights, Linzy Bacbotte celebrates life “above all else.” Grande voix du sega, fer de lance de la créolité, défenseuse des droits des femmes, Linzy Bacbotte célèbre la vie « par-dessus tout ». I ntheshadeofthescrewpines,onthe desertedbayoutsidethevillageof Tamarin,Linzytakesupherstoryagain, interspersedwithheroutburstsoflaugh- terandthechantingofhermusicians. WHERE THERE’S SINGING, THERE’S LIFE Shetalksofhermodestchildhoodin QuatreBornes,Mauritius;thefamily home,fullofloveandmusic;thechoir ofthechurchofNotre-Dame-du-Rosaire; herpaternalgrandfather,violinist,mili- tant,andpioneerofthegroupLatanier; hermother,pupilofthegreatSega musicianSergeLebrasse,constantly singing;the“fatherwhoseincessant clowningaroundcouldn’thidehisdark thoughts”;herguitar-playinggodfather andtheTvsingingcontestswhenshe waseight;thecollegeshegaveupto performonstageandimproveherdaily lot;themeteoricrisethattookhertothe continent,toParis,wheresherecorded asingle,butthenbecamedisillusioned. Thereturntoherhomeland,anew album,afirstmarriage,andafirstchild, Solena.Divorceandtherevivalalbum thatshecomposedinfull,Breathe again .Recognitioninherhomeland whenshewasmadeMemberofthe OrderoftheStarandKeyoftheIndian Ocean(MSK).Hermeetingwiththe greatSeggaesinger,BrunoRaya,and thebirthoftheirson,Zion.Hergroup “Mauravann”–initiatedbytheproducer PercyYipTong,withhermusician “brothers”,SamuelDubois,Kerwyn CastelandEmmanuelDesroches– whichrevivedtheancestralbeatof theravannedrumsandraisedSega totheheightsofgreatmusicstylesof theworld.THE BREATH OF LIFE Asauthorandcomposer,Linzydrew herinspirationfromalltheAfrobeats– Sega,Reggae,SeggaeandSoul–that linedtheslaveroute,onlytoreturnto thebirthofSega,inthe17 th century, withtheAfricanandMadagascanslaves. Onthesmoothgoatskinofherravanne, shebeatsa6/8ternaryrhythm.Ker- wyn’smaravannejoinsthedanceand surfs the waves. “it’s the rhythm of the heartbeat, saysLinzywithasmile.mama mauritius has brought forth her children in pain. We are the heirs to a violent and powerful story. Only the strongest have survived. ”ShehumsthelegendaryamazingGrace . Eyesclosed,faceuplifted,ahugesmile. Rightnow,Linzyissingingnotforus alone.“ can you hear the noise of the slaves in the hold of the slave ships? it’s a song that tells of strife, breath, and above all of life. singing, dancing, playing music, it’s all one movement to share in the beauty and joy of life. ” WHO ARE YOU? “ We commemorate the end of slavery, we know all the important dates, yet wenever speakof thewounds.Wedonot delve into the depths of our memory to discover the hidden story. if i have always sung, it’s to find the answer to one question only: who are you? Who are you really? ” Guidedbytheneedtoknowinorderto forgive,herluminousrisetofameisalso areturntoherbeginnings.“ i have plun- ged into the womb of mauritius and un- earthedmy deepest roots. mymaternal great-grandmother was a muslim from dar es salaam, in tanzania. Before chan- ging to Bacbotte, my grandfather’s name was Bhagwat, which is indian… Blood, sweat and lives aremixed.We are neither afro nor indi nor chinese mau- ritians, nor muslims... we are all that and more. ”BeingCreoleisnotjustaquestion ofmixedrace.It’s“somethingmore”: it’sawayoftakingcompletelyopposing rhythms,languagesandculturesand bringingthemtogetherasoneinside you.“ it’s our wealth, entirely contained inour creole culture, ourmother tongue. that is what breaks the chains, ”says Linzyopeningwideherarmstowelcome thegoldenday. BY VIRGINIE LUC PHOTOGRAPHS PIERRE PERRIN LA MuSIquE DES oRIGINES