Their style is a reflection of Reunion (akin to the Blues but with the Créole influences of the Islands), mixed with Madagascar and Indian music, African Drums and Créole lyrics. They have performed at Olympia Hall in Paris, one of the most legendary music venues in the city of Paris. They have won Best Group and Artist Award in Africa (1994), Best African Group and Artist (1997) at Kora Awards and Best Group at the Cesars de la Musique in 2007. Alliance Française of Madras in association with Exodus is bringing Ziskakan to Chennai! The band has been winning hearts through their meaningful lyrics and soulful tunes, and we had the chance to speak to the band’s frontman Gilbert Pounia.
We jumped straight into asking him what Ziskakan means, and Gilbert tells us, “Ziskakan is a Maloya music group from Reunion created in 1979. Before becoming one of the flagship bands of the Reunion scene, Ziskakan had the objective of ‘promoting and spreading Reunionese culture’. Also, the group engages in the denunciation of what it perceives as harmful policies imposed by Paris.”
With Gilbert as the frontman (vocal and guitar), the band’s other members include Wazis Pounia (bassist and son of Gilbert); Frédéric Riesser (drummer); Clency Sumac (guitarist); Shakti Shaan Ramchurn and Damien Hervio, who have just joined the group because of their musicality and their identification with Ziskakan.
Ziskakan released their first record with Philipe de Magné in 1982 and signed with Universal Music. They met the greatest artistes through their tours in the United States. Gilbert describes himself as an Afro, Indo, Sino, Euro, Malagasy and above all, an artiste from the islands who has devoted 45 years of his life to music. He believes art has a strong social role and allows encounters. “We are creators and carriers of words, the defense of our culture is a daily fight, that is to say, activists for Créole culture,” he states.
As we get talking, we ask Gilbert about the origin of their music genre Maloya. “The origin of this practice is linked to slavery and enlistment. It was built through the meeting of African, Malagasy and Indian cultures. The practice has a sacred component (ancestor worship and a public component),” Gilbert shares, adding, “Maloya is passed on from one generation to the other, and there are now classes at the Reunion Regional Conservatory.”
The place Gilbert comes from is an island with uneven and steep terrain, with a large part of its territory covered by protected natural areas. An important and necessary part of its space is also reserved for agriculture and animal husbandry, thereby limiting urban development. Telling us further about lifestyle and culture of the place, Gilbert says, “We know how to live together and form an open and tolerant society where everyone respects the other communities. The people are attached and proud of their culture and traditions. They are welcoming and warm, subject to respecting their culture. Integration in Reunion necessarily requires an unzoreil (metropolitan) phase of adaptation to this culture and the rhythm of life of Reunionese.”
Prodding him to also tell us more about Reunion’s cuisine, we get Gilbert to share, “The traditional Créole meal essentially revolves around the main course, the carry, a family dish consisting of meat or fish in sauce accompanied by rice, ‘grains’ (red, white or pink beans, peas, lentils, etc.) or bredes (vegetables) and a rougail (spicy condiment that accompanies the dish: tomato rougail, lemon rougail, dakatine rougail). The Créole dish is therefore very complete. The curry is traditionally cooked over a wood fire in a Créole cast iron pot, and served flat on the table. It can be preceded by a starter and an aperitif, followed by a dessert.”
As he comes to Chennai along with his band to perform, Gilbert gets nostalgic telling us that he has been to this city several times, and has always felt at home. “We want to bring back part of our culture to Chennai and especially discover the Indian evolution in the islands. We have a varied group with different profiles of musicians, and that’s what makes us strong, a Créole group that wants to wear the colours of its island with pride. To actually understand what we will be performing, you need to attend our musical event. Even if you don’t understand Créole, the rhythm, the intensity of the words will certainly touch your hearts, and you will feel the music,” he says, signing off.
Entry free. April 15.7.30 pm.
At Bay 146, Mylapore.
rupam@newindianexpress.com
@rupsjain
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