Réunion Island

Musical practice among Réunion Islanders of Indian descent is an extension of the values, beliefs, and customs of their Indian ancestors. Contemporary Indian society on the island comprises two main religious as well as musical traditions: those of the Hindu temples on the plantations and those of the urban areas. (Muslims represent less than 5 percent of the total population.) Tamil Hindu music on the island invokes three deities: Mariemen (in India, Mariamman), Kali, and Pandyale (a heroine of...