A moutya gathering happens outdoors. Drummers sit close to a small fire, warming the goatskin tops of their drums to make the sound deep and clear. The lead singer calls out a line, and the rest of the gathering answers back in chorus. The rhythm starts slow and builds, sometimes lasting hours.
Moutya was originally a music of community gathering - a way for islanders to come together after a long day, share news, and tell stories through song. The words are in Seychellois Creole and often touch on everyday life: the weather, neighbours, work, fishing trips, the children.
Unlike sega, which is bouncy and bright, moutya is slower and more dreamy. The dance is gentle - swaying with one foot in front of the other - and dancers often face one another rather than the audience. It can feel almost like a conversation made of movement and drumbeat.
Moutya nearly disappeared in the 1900s, but Seychellois musicians and elders have worked hard to keep it alive. In 2021, UNESCO recognised moutya as a treasure of world culture. Today, children in Seychelles learn it at cultural festivals and on national heritage days.