Inscription in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - 2021
Moutya was brought to Seychelles by the enslaved Africans who arrived with the French settlers in the early eighteenth century. A sensual dance with simple choreography, it is traditionally performed around a bonfire to the beating of drums. Historically, moutya was a psychological comfort against hardship and a means of resisting social injustice. It is usually performed spontaneously within the community, as well as at gatherings and cultural events. Moutya is transmitted informally through performance, observation and imitation and formally through research, documentation and dissemination.

on this subject: Nomination file/Dossier de candidature