Emlyn Marimutu – “Music is a spiritual force. It is the essence of life”
The Mauritian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who traces part of her ancestry to Pondicherry, performed at the Rajasthan International Folk Festival held from October 16 to 20 at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur
What was your earliest exposure to music like?
Before becoming a musician, I was a dancer. To be a good musician, you have to be a good dancer. I think that these things go hand in hand. It was around the age of seven that I started dancing. I started performing on stage when I was 14. By this time, my brother was already deeply into music. In fact, everybody in my family likes to sing so I too have been singing since I was a child. But nobody at home pursued it as a professional career. I did.
Did you go to a music school to get trained in a formal environment?
No, I didn’t. (laughs) I think there are two ways to become a good musician. You can either go to a music school and learn, or you can learn on the streets. I decided to learn on the streets. That’s how it happens back on the islands. We learn from our gurus, our elders.
Would you be open to talking about the elders that you learnt from?
Sure, I would love to talk about this. The elder whom I learnt from is called Menwar. He brought back traditional drumming. Before that, the instrument was banned from being played because we have a history of slavery. He introduced me to traditional drumming. He discovered different songs and put them down on paper in the form of musical notation so that we can read the music. He helped me get connected with my roots. I take our traditional music and fuse it with the music that I like to hear from more modern times.
You spoke about the history of slavery. How has it shaped the music you create?
It is the very essence of our traditional music in the sense that our ancestors were forcefully brought from the coast of Madagascar and Africa and made to work on sugarcane plantations in Mauritius. When they came, they brought their culture along even though it was forbidden. Drumming was an essential part of who they were, so they found ways to cut the drum and make it small enough to hide and carry with them. They had fear in them but also this burning desire for rebellion. Drumming was their language, their form of expression. Drumming is what we inherit from our elders. We use rhythm rather than string instruments.
Were you born in Port Louis?
No, I was born in a village called Pointe aux Sables, which is on the west coast. But now I live right next to the sacred mountain of the ancestors. It is called Le Morne.
It seems that music is more than just a profession for you. Would you say that is true?
Yes, music is a spiritual force. It is the essence of life. It is what speaks to our soul. When I listen to the music in Rajasthan, I do not understand the meaning of any of the words but this does not matter at all at a deeper level because the music speaks directly to my soul.
You were telling me about your ancestors. Where did they come from?
I have ancestry from mostly Africa on my mum’s side, mixed with some European ancestry. And on my dad’s side, well, my great great grandfather actually came from Pondicherry. That’s why my last name is Marimutu. It is a Tamil word.
Have you visited Pondicherry?
No, but I really wish to. I want to come to India again and visit Pondicherry because of my ancestral connection with the place. I have only seen Rajasthan so far. This is my second time at the Rajasthan International Folk Festival. I was here in 2022 as well. From the experience that I have had both times, I feel that India is a beautiful country. The people lead a simple life, and the food is amazing. I hope to return soon to learn more about my ancestry. I also tell myself that we must remember where we come from but not remain stuck. This is an issue that many people in Mauritius struggle with because we have a mix of cultures and identities. We have to strike a balance between recalling our past and creating our future.
How did you learn about this festival, and end up coming to Jodhpur twice?
I met Divya Bhatia, the director of Jodhpur RIFF, at the Indian Ocean Music Market on Réunion Island. He listened to my music and liked my performance. Apart from that, he was very interested in the cultural background and the musical instruments that I make.
What materials are these musical instruments made of?
They are made out of upcycled materials, which are locally available. For instance, I have used materials like tuna cans, bicycle spokes, fishing lines, and also some wood. I have a lot of upcycled instruments at home but it was not possible to bring them with me to India.
What kind of role does the Indian Ocean play in your music and your life?
The ocean is my life! I was born next to the ocean. The village that I grew up in is a fishermen’s village, so the ocean is a big inspiration for me. It inspires me to play music, to be calm, to have peace of mind, which is important when you are a musician because you want to feel free. The Indian Ocean is also a melting pot of people from different continents and cultures. Mauritius is a mix of Africa and India, and I have this mix in me too. I think that the Indian Ocean has a lot to offer in terms of music and a lifestyle in harmony with nature.
The impact of global warming and climate change is felt most acutely by island nations like Mauritius, as they become more vulnerable to environmental disasters. As an environmental activist, how does music help you craft and convey your message?
I got together with some of my activist friends to make upcycled instruments using the trash that we found. We wanted to do something instead of just sitting and feeling sorry about the situation. In that spirit, I also wrote a few songs for organizations that work against beach grabbing and climate change. I have noticed that there is a change among children in my village. Earlier, when plastic washed up on the beach, they looked at it only as trash. Now they get creative and think of how to make upcycled instruments out of that plastic. That gives me a lot of satisfaction. Earlier I used to conduct upcycling workshops with kids but now I am busy learning traditional instruments because they are in danger of disappearing.
Tell us about some of the instruments that you use.
The ravanne — a frame drum made out of goat skin — is one of our main instruments. It is a bit similar to the daf. We also use the triangle, which is made of metal. Some of the instruments used in the Sega music of Mauritius have been lost but I am trying to bring them back.
Before going up on stage, do you practise any rituals to ensure that all goes well?
(smiles) Yes, I do! I drink rum from my island before going up on stage. I carry it with me, and everybody just takes one sip from the cup and we also offer it to the ancestors. The point of this ritual is not to get drunk. In our culture, this is a way of celebrating and connecting. It is important that we drink from the same cup, so we feel that we are together.
Chintan Girish Modi writes about books, art and culture. He can be reached @chintanwriting on Instagram and X.