The Deba of Mayotte is one of the richest female sacred expressions in the Indian Ocean, with the famous Deba from Mayotte. The women of the Deba express with fullness and delight a Sufi-inspired religious tradition whose grace reflects their environment, the waves of the Indian Ocean and the tropical heat of the Comoros Islands, whose name is that of the moon “qamar” in Arabic.

The ceremonial songs and dances that are exclusively performed by women and girls, are are sung in Arabic. You can hear these songs in different locations in Mayotte – along the road leading to the airport as pilgrims return from Mecca, during a banishing ritual at Ramadan or when celebrating a festival. The accompanying dance is vibrant yet gracious. Dressed in beautiful frocks the women slowly rock back and forth to the rhythm played on hand drums. A soloist starts, the choir responds, with profundities about earthly and spiritual matters.