Over 9000 Attend MOAF 2011!
Mauritian Open Air Festival 2011
Over nine thousand Mauritians, old and young, came together last month for the biggest ever Mauritian event held in Europe. The Mauritian Open Air Festival 2011 was the most successful one to date and was a real tribute to the Mauritian community.
On a rare day when the weather in London was better than in Mauritius, Down Lane Park began to fill early in the day as Mauritians from across the country and even as far as Europe came together to celebrate Mauritian culture.
Mauritian Open Air had been billed for some time as the biggest Mauritian event outside of Mauritius this year and attendees weren’t disappointed.
Entertainment on the centre stage began as the gates opened at midday, hosted by DJ CLK. Local DJs, DJ Vish and DJ Masta G, kept the music flowing early on. Those who had come early to secure a spot near the front were entertained by great performances by Dorian Delia and his Jalsa des Iles group, the Port Louis Bar Sega Dancers and Serese, an up and coming girl group who have been tipped for great things by industry insiders. A fashion show also took place, showcasing various designs put together by Yvonne Goder.
However, the Open Air Festival was about more than just stellar performances. Some would say the real stars were the food stall owners, busy serving hungry crowds. Well-known Mauritian restaurants, such as Mo Filao and Mauritius Paradise dished out hundreds of pairs of dhal puri, roti, gateaux piment, mine and other Mauritian delights. It was also an opportunity for smaller operations and catering companies to produce some exceptional food. Word soon got around, and these stalls became very busy.
Conveniently situated in the middle of the park was the Port Louis Bar tent, a pop-up version of the real bar in Tottenham and probably the most popular part of the festival besides the stage. Cleverly designed to provide shade from the sun and a seating area for those who wanted relax in the Festival’s surroundings, it served Phoenix Beer and Green Island rum to the masses – a must for all, given the hot weather.
Beyond food and drink, there were also several Mauritian businesses on display, using the Festival as a platform to promote their services. Big names such as Air Mauritius, Western Union, Lyca Mobile and Sunset Travel (who gave away two tickets to Mauritius) were there, but there were also other interesting stalls. For example, the Anglo-Mauritian Disability Link, a charity which supports disabled children in Mauritius, who are about to launch the first Mauritian charity shop in the UK. For the children: face painting, plenty of ice-cream and a large funfair were on hand, making it a real family event.
By the time Ras Ton Vie stepped onto the stage, backed by the Colours-PLB Crew, just under 10,000 people were in the crowd. His rendition of “Peros Vert”, a song about his homeland Diego Garcia, was memorable and particularly poignant for the hundreds of Chagossians in the crowd.
The main crowd-puller was, of course, Alain Ramansium. Perhaps the best-known Mauritian singer for this generation, Alain made a rare UK appearance at the Festival. He was the headline act, and did his role justice, staying on stage for a respectful two hours, thrilling fans who had travelled far and wide to see him perform. Shortly before coming on stage, he told Mauritius Now of his appreciation of the crowds that had come to see him.
“It feels like I am back home in Mauritius!” he said, “I feel really emotional. I’m very proud to see so many people from the Mauritian community here and people from all over the world. I’d really like to thank Eshan (Badal) and Gavin (Pullia) and the organisation here. It’s the youngsters who are promoting Mauritian culture here in the UK. I would like to thank all my fans as well. Especially as I’ve been celebrating my 15th year anniversary in music, I’m really proud to have all my fans around me. I’d like to thank all my fans, every one of them. I would like to do a European tour at some point in the future as I really enjoy coming here.”
Alain joined his wife and fellow singer Laura Beg – Ramanisum for a spectacular performance alongside the Omaz Sega Band and the Tropical Flower Sega Dancers. He performed material new and old as the crowds waved their Mauritian flags and sung along to favourites such as “Ayo”, his version of “Sega Manivel” and newer material such as “Pa Dire Moi”. His energetic presence on stage was something to behold and his interaction with the crowd was particularly special, delighting the audience with his moves and stopping now and again to speak to and thank his fans. However, he was not the only star on stage. Laura Beg proved she could sing just as well as her husband, serenading the crowd with her own material.
Alain finished the evening off in style, concluding his set with arguably his most popular song, “Li Tourne”. It was the song everyone wanted to hear and fittingly, the crowd danced and twirled to the chorus. It really was a magical moment.
The Mauritian Open Air Festival has become bigger and bigger each year. As an onlooker said, “I have never seen so many Mauritians in one place!” Indeed the record attendance at last month’s Open Air was proof that it is the largest annual Mauritian gathering in the UK, where families reunited, old friends bumped into each other and where Mauritian culture was on display for the British public to enjoy. It’s just a shame that we need to wait another year for the next one.
Sabina Jacobs