Supporting local artistic and cultural initiatives: a source of pride for Trimetys Hotels.

Mauritius is full of stories built around a strong local culture. So many events, people and places have marked this little paradise over the years, gradually shaping our identity as Mauritians. Today we can be proud of being a multicultural independent island with solid traditions, thanks to its men and women who contributed to our history. This history is ours; we must maintain and enrich it.

Nextart Factory has achieved this through the organization of a photo exhibition paying tribute to a great figure of Mauritian sega. Trimetys Hotels is happy to support this fantastic initiative and be part of this adventure.

Ti frer, the king of Mauritian Sega

From his real name Jean Alphonse Ravaton, Ti Frer is considered the father of Mauritian sega, one of Mauritius’s most popular musical styles. Thanks to his singer father, Ti frer grew up rocked by music and endeavoured to share this passion with the village and all those around him. Poet, storyteller, singer and musician Ti frer wears many hats, but all of them express his love for séga. Throughout his life, he touched hearts with his art, generosity, and simplicity.

In 1925, he released his first song called “Tamassa”. At that time, sega was very little known and often considered vulgar. This first title is, therefore, not popular. Ti frer lives in poverty but remains attached to his art. Later, as séga began to be better perceived, Ti frer released more and more titles, including “Papitou”, “Charlie Oh”, “La grain café”. His music travels and is heard in all the islands of the Indian Ocean. In 1964 Ti frer was named “father of the musical heritage of the Indian Ocean”. His great artistic influence was then recognized and admired by all.

Shortly after, the “traditional sega” is forgotten and replaced by the “modern sega” with a different rhythm and style. Ti Frer also sinks into oblivion. His health is deteriorating. He recorded his last CD in 1991, gathering his greatest successes and died the following year.

A photo tribute

From October 14 to November 12, 2022, a meeting steeped in history took place at the Galerie du Génie, Port Louis, Mauritius. ‘Ti Frer, in the footsteps of a giant’, a photo exhibition organized by Nextart Factory, under Géraldine Hennequin-Joulia, in honour of the 30th anniversary of the disappearance of this great artist. Goals? Bring the memory of Ti Frer to life and introduce the public to the evolution of this musical style over time.

For a month, Nextart offered the Mauritian public the opportunity to rediscover the faces of those who, since Ti Frer, have nourished local music:

Photos of the exhibition

Meet the faces of our musical heritage, from Ti Frer to today. Nearly 50 photographs were presented during this exhibition, painting a picture of the music scene resulting from séga through time. They were also accompanied by captions/texts but by sound archives featuring the voice of Ti Frer.

Concert and album

A beautiful album and concert project bringing together 10 pieces of Ti Frer revisited by the young generation of artists, with the talented Linley Marthe coming from Paris to support this project. He will notably be accompanied by Kurwin Cartel on percussion and Damien Elisa on Melodica. Other guests of honour will also be invited on stage on this occasion.

Documentary

Retracing the footsteps of Ti Frer for the duration of a documentary. This film aims to relive the story of this great man, from his life as a hunter to that of a singer, through the testimonies of those who knew him. The release of the documentary is scheduled for December 2022.

The cultural heritage of Mauritius is as rich as it is precious. Many have changed our history through an action, a word, or a passion. If their influence cannot disappear, we must keep their memory alive. The photo exhibition ‘Ti Frer, in the footsteps of a giant’ was an opportunity for Trimetys Hotels to show its commitment and support this beautifully cultural and local project. Thanks to the Nextart team for allowing our teams to be part of this adventure.