KANMTOLE

Before the advent of disco music and electrical music instruments the only two types of organised indoor dancing that were featured in Seychelles were the kanmtole and the kabare. 

In the mid-19th century, the European ballroom dances including the waltz, schottische, polka, mazurka, berlin, ecossaise, pas de quatre, the quadrilles and contredanses were brought into Réunion Island by the French ‘bourgeoisie’. The ‘bourgeoisie’ was mainly composed of soldiers from different layers of the Parisian and provincial population as well as sailors and missionaries. These dances initially appeared in noble balls on the island. They gradually became creolised and then started to appear in rural folk dances.

THE CREOLISATION PROCESS

One challenge the settlers initially faced was that there were not many musicians in Réunion Island, then known as  Île Bourbon, who could play this style of music. They had to find other options. They therefore resorted to the slaves, specially the young Malagasy slaves who had a tendency to assimilate foreign musical forms better than the slaves from other regions. They were found to be more responsive to melody and song than to highly rhythmical music. They were also more capable of assimilating and adopting European musical forms, in which the melody is also an essential element.

Some of these young slaves were turned into house slaves so that they would be present at organised balls and would mingle with guests of their French masters. They consequently got to learn  their songs, rhythms and dances through the repetition of songs that they heard.  Some became talented fiddlers and they made themselves a pleasure to hear. They were in great demand at all the balls of high society.