Long ago on the islands of Seychelles, life moved with the rhythm of the sea and the beat of the drum. Among the people, the moutya drum was more than an instrument. It was sacred, carved from hollowed wood and stretched with skins, blessed with fire and smoke before each gathering. Its sound carried far across the night, calling the community together under the moon. Every beat honored ancestors, told stories, and bound the people in dance.
In one coastal village on Mahé, the moutya was the heart of every celebration. When the fishermen returned with heavy nets and the women filled baskets with fruits and breadfruit, the villagers would gather near the shore. Fires lit the sand, and the round drums echoed into the darkness. Young and old alike swayed to the rhythm, their shadows leaping in the firelight. The spirits of the ancestors, it was believed, joined these dances. They were not always seen, but their presence was felt in the rush of the wind and the crackle of the flames.
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One season, a group of proud young men began to think less of this tradition. They laughed that the moutya was only for the old, and they mocked the heavy sound of the drums. While the rest of the village danced in reverence, they beat on empty pots and clapped their hands in scornful imitation. Some even jeered that no spirits would dare to join them, for the drums were nothing but noise. The elders warned them to stop, reminding them that the moutya carried blessings but also demanded respect. Yet pride filled their hearts, and they paid no heed.
One moonlit night, the villagers gathered as always. The drums were struck, low and steady, their rhythm rising like a heartbeat through the sand. The young men came too, but instead of joining in the sacred dance, they mocked louder than before. They beat sticks against the ground and sang foolish words, their laughter rising above the drums.
Then the air shifted. The wind grew stronger, sweeping across the fires so that sparks flew into the night. The elders looked to the sea and saw dark shapes forming at the edge of the waves. Slowly, figures emerged from the foam, gliding across the sand. They were spirits of the ancestors, their bodies cloaked in shimmering light, their faces neither young nor old. At first the people bowed their heads, for they knew the spirits had come to dance.
But the spirits did not join the circle of reverence. They turned instead toward the mocking youths. Without a word, the spirits lifted ghostly drums, invisible yet powerful. A thunderous rhythm rolled through the air, louder than any drum carved by mortal hands. The mocking laughter of the youths faltered as the sound forced their feet to move. They spun, leapt, and twisted, unable to stop their bodies. Panic flashed in their eyes, yet still they danced. The spirits’ rhythm drove them into the sand until they collapsed, exhausted and trembling.
When the spirits finally lowered their hands, silence fell across the shore. The youths lay gasping, their pride broken. The elders stepped forward and said, “Now you know the moutya is not for mocking. It carries the voices of those who came before us. To scorn it is to scorn your blood.”
From that night, the young men never again mocked the drums. They learned to carve them with respect, to strike them with care, and to dance with humility. And the story spread across the islands, reminding all who heard it that the moutya is more than music. It is a bridge between the living and the dead, a rhythm that binds the Seychellois people to their ancestors and to each other.
To this day, when the moutya drums sound in the night, people dance with reverence. For they remember the spirits who once punished the proud, and they know that the ancestors still listen for the beat of respect.
Moral Lesson: The Dance of the Moutya Drums teaches that sacred traditions must never be mocked. Music carries the memory of ancestors, and disrespect for it brings consequences. True joy comes when we honor the rhythm of our heritage with humility and respect.
Knowledge Check
What is the central role of the moutya drum in the folktale The Dance of the Moutya Drums?
Answer: The moutya drum serves as a sacred instrument that connects the Seychellois people to their ancestors and unites the community in dance.Why did the young men in The Dance of the Moutya Drums mock the tradition?
Answer: They believed the moutya was outdated and laughed at its heavy rhythm, using pots and sticks to imitate it disrespectfully.How did the spirits respond to the mocking in The Dance of the Moutya Drums?
Answer: The spirits appeared from the sea, summoned ghostly drums, and forced the mocking youths to dance uncontrollably until they collapsed.What warning did the elders give before the spirits punished the youths in The Dance of the Moutya Drums?
Answer: The elders warned that the moutya carried blessings but required respect, and mocking it was dangerous.What lesson did the young men learn by the end of The Dance of the Moutya Drums?
Answer: They learned to respect the moutya, to carve and play drums with care, and to join the sacred dances with humility.What cultural message does The Dance of the Moutya Drums share about Seychellois traditions?
Answer: The folktale emphasizes that music and dance are not merely entertainment but sacred acts that honor heritage and ancestral spirits.
Source: Seychellois folktale. Found in Traditions and Folklore of Seychelles by Justin Prosper (1980).
