“The ravane was born from a mix of culture.” This is how Jean-François Purbho, musician and ravane-maker, sees his favourite instrument. The arrival of coolies from India and Africans, who wanted to revive their culture, brought the “ravane”.

Jean-François’s passion for music led him to become a member of Ravane sans frontières and Ekos des Iles, which performs in hotels. “When we first started playing music, we did not have money to buy instruments. So, I learned how to make my own ravane. I had to throw away my first one but I have made a lot a progress since.” He sells his products to tourist shops but he also supplies the government for special shows like the Jeux de la Francophonie.

The whole process takes three to four days. “First, you have to do the circle around the sheep skin with a plywood that you put into a bicycle wheel.” The most difficult is to obtain a really round circle. You then have to fix the sheepskin all around it. The skin has to be washed thoroughly, then soaked in water and lime and scraped with plywood before tightening it and leaving it dry for 24 to 48 hours.

Jean-François is not only a musician or ravane-maker; he shares his passion with children of Cité Barkly. Every Wednes-day and Sunday, children from the age of seven come to the Youth Centre and learn to play ravane and other instruments. All of them want to be musicians. Some do not go to school. “Some of us have already performed in a show. We are even more motivated to do it as a job.” Jean-François adds, “They really have a lot of talent. But the lessons are also a way of preventing them from getting caught by the scourges of society.”

Jean-François wants to help more children – even those outside Cité Barkly – but there is a lack of funds. The Youth centre helps but it is not sufficient…