Festival at Mafate: supporting Réunion Island for its candidacy at the World Heritage Site, presented by Mainland France

To celebrate the national publication of the block stamp of "Portraits de regions, La France à voir" including the stamp of Cirque of Mafate, the Post Office wants to bring Réunion Island into the spotlight and supports the island for its candidacy at the World Heritage Site, presented by Mainland France, on Saturday 29^th March 2008. 
A big event will be held in the various hamlets of the Cirque of Mafate as well as in Mafate La Nouvelle from Friday 28^th March to Sunday 30^th March. 

Here is the programme:

Friday 28th March 2008

02 00pm: end of construction of the temporary post office in the Heritage Hall ("salle verte")

• inauguration of the handcrafted village on the occasion of the Festival in Mafate

02 30om: prize giving ceremony of the drawing competition
03 00pm: magic show
04 00pm: Tea party
05 00pm:  Arrival of the "Transversale du Coeur"
06 00pm: opening speech
06 15pm - 10 00pm: concerts

• Eric Louise le facteur (sega) 

• Théat la kour (komic la Réyon)

• 7po (electric maloya)

• Zoro chang (dance hall)

• La ozé (sega reggae ilet à malheur)

• Exhibition: slavery (media library in Port)

Saturday 29th March 2008

09 00am: hiking departure point: Col des Bœufs towards La Nouvelle
10 00am - 12 00pm: National Publication of the Mafate Stamp and Inauguration of the temporary post office, "1er jour" and inauguration of the "relais poste commerçant"
12 00pm - 13 30pm: Musical activity by Eric Louise le facteur
02 00pm - 03 00pm

• a talk on the history of Mafate (Prosper Eve and 2 mountain guides)

• A workshop on the local story Md. Grondin

05 30pm - 06 30pm

• Mini conference on the fugitive slave at Mafate (Organised by Tourist Office in La Possession)
  

06 00pm

• celebrating the anniversary of the National Park in Réunion Island
  
• Presentation of Réunion Island's candidacy

06 30pm - 10 00pm

•  Zis kakan (elect maloya)

• FIRMIN VIRY (traditional maloya)

• Bat'Ker

• Caz à bois (sega from Salazie)

• Kozman ti dalon ("maloya acrobate")

• Zion vibration (reggae ilet Aurere)

Sunday 30th March 2008
08 00am: hiking departure point: Col des Bœufs towards La Nouvelle
09 00am: reopening of the temporary office
09 15am - 10 00am

• speech of the President of National Park in Réunion Island, Daniel Gonthier

• Report of year 1

• Presenting the project of Réunion Island's candidacy

10 30am

• a conference on the history of MafMoringue Ste Suzanne

• Fer Blanc (Steel Band)  

A concert of Sean Paul in La Ravine Saint-Leu

Being a full-fledged artist, Sean Paul has had a lengthy career path before reaching the fame that is now his.  Born in 1973, he has a rich cultural inheritance.  He is the son of a famous Jamaican painter and has a mixed heritage of African, Asians and Europeans origins.  As a teenager, he discovers not a vocation for math at school but rather for sport.  It's in this field that he'll first give a try.  He represents the Jamaica in the water polo international competition, but later puts an end to it to launch his musical career. 
Encouraged by his dear ones, he gradually climbs the rungs of the musical ladder thanks to his established relations.  The first piece of evidence of his talent was released in 1996, in the form of a single, entitled Baby Girl.  This led to further Jamaican hits, such as Hot Gal Today, Deport Them, Infiltrate or Excite me.  In 2000, he released his first album Stage One. 
In June 2003, Dutty Rock was released in France.  This CD was a hit and was at the top of the American Reggae charts for 75 weeks.  It's by the end of 2005 that Sean Paul released his third opus, The Trinity.  He worked in close collaboration with Nina Sky, Wayne Marshall, Looga Man and Kid Kurup for this album.  Sean Paul made a comeback in 2007 with A New Age with the capriccio Watch Dem Roll. 
Friday 28^th March at 09 00pm
La Ravine Saint-Leu
Ticket Price: 35 euros           

A tribute to Alain Peters at the Plaine des Palmistes

In close collaboration with the association of "Jeunes Réunionnais pour la Musique," the band of Akimile is paying a tribute to the famous Réunionese poet, Alain Peters.  
"Espace Guy Agenor"  in La Plaine des Palmistes
06 30pm
Ticket price: 14 euros.

Groundation in Port

Groundation is an American band from the California featuring a new musical style: the Spiritual Roots Reggae coupled with a subtle blend of the more authentic reggae roots and a jazz that is both cool and hallucinated, highlighted by captivating dubs.   
From Bob Marley to Miles David to Burning Spear and to John Coltrane, the influences of Groundation are as much varied as crucial to the musical evolution of the band.
Friday 28^th and Saturday 29^th March
Kabardock at 09 00pm
Ticket Price: 18 euros