ravane, ravanne

Ravanne / ravane; single-headed large drum used in Sega, Mauritius, Indian Ocean. Sega is the national song and dance of Mauritius, extremely versatile, played with full set of guitar, drums and trumpet or with no instruments at all. Accompanied by distinct instruments providing rhythm only without melody, such as the ravane (a thin, wide drum of goat's skin), the maravane (pebble-filled box rattling when shaken) and the triangle, the singer sings about the tribulations of love or the humorous side of life. The dance is a series of shuffling steps with no set pattern, with hips swinging and arms outstretched, bending the torsos forward and backward, much like a courtship dance. Commercial performances in hotels accentuate this suggestiveness and try to lend an air of eroticism.