Book
In 2017, J.M.G. Le Clézio published 'Alma', a novel in which he returns to the island he cherishes. His Breton ancestors settled in Mauritius in the 18th century, and the author considers himself a Mauritian writer of French expression. 'Alma' traces the fate of the Felsen family, divided into two branches: one noble, the other a source of shame. Jérémie, from the noble side, sets out in search of the dodo, the island’s symbolic bird, doomed to extinction due to human activity. Will he cross paths with Dominique, a marginalised, disabled man born on the 'wrong side' of the family? Woven throughout are questions about family legacy, environmental destruction and slavery.
Music
Dating back to the era of slavery, séga is the traditional music of Afro-Mauritians and is popular throughout the Indian Ocean, particularly in Réunion. The lyrics, inspired by daily life, are accompanied by distinctive instruments such as the ravanne (a type of drum), triangle and maravanne (pieces of reed or sugar cane aligned and filled with gravel). Jean Alphonse Ravaton, known as 'Ti Frère' (1900–1992), is regarded as 'the king of Mauritian séga'.
Film
Brought together on screen by François Truffaut in 'La Sirène du Mississipi' ('Mississippi Mermaid') in 1970, Marion (Catherine Deneuve) and Louis Mahé (Jean-Paul Belmondo) engage in a destructive relationship. She, a dangerous seductress; he, a hopeless romantic. She will take everything from him; he will be willing to give up everything for her... The story unfolds against the stunning backdrop of Réunion Island and concludes in the south of France.
