Abstract
Using autoethnography and a/r/tography, this chapter explores my experiences and negotiation of my identities as a female Maloya artist/researcher/ teacher. From the theoretical lenses of a “third space,” “hybridity” and “bastardy” I explore how Maloya is part of a constructed space in negotiating my identity. Migration to Australia was an opportunity to scrutinise and question my identities as I was born in Réunion Island, a former French colony predominantly populated by slaves and indentured labour from Madagascar, Africa, India, and China. Born and raised in La Reunion as culturally vibrant and as a hybrid space, I grew up with Maloya and later adopted it as performance and practice through my teaching and research – (Maloya a musical form as improvised dance and music referring to music of descendants of slaves and indentured servants of African and Malagasy origin). Being in Australia, I review my stance concerning my performance and teaching of Maloya as part of my cultural heritage and identity. The discussion examines the negotiation of my identity through Maloya as embodied through a “third space” yet with changes. I further discuss the way Maloya is understood as a continuity to cultural identity within Reunionese alongside controversies to its embodiment to cultural, social resistance as a musical genre for cultural representativeness.
Published Version
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