Resistance That Dances

Maloya is not just music; it is the living history of resistance. Originating on the sugarcane plantations of Réunion, it was for centuries the only means by which enslaved people could pass on their history and identity. Until the 1970s and 1980s, Maloya was persecuted by the French police. Anyone who played it risked having their instruments confiscated.

VOTIA is bringing this vibrant tradition to Switzerland for the first time, led by Marie-Claude Phyléas—daughter of Gramoun Lélé (also affectionately known as Baba Lélé)—together with her family. An evening featuring an introduction, music, singing, dance, and a communal kabar—collective, physical, and political.

Free entry; donations accepted at the door.