Gilbert Bontemps (right) from Whateva Entertainment is teaming up with top DJs including Revelino for the forthcoming Tropical Fiesta.GILBERT Bontemps is planning another Tropical Fiesta to celebrate Mauritian youth culture with modern and traditional sounds.
Bontemps, from Dandenong, works at Whateva Entertainment in Noble Park and is bringing together some of the biggest names in dance music for the next Tropical Fiesta to be held at Room 680 in Hawthorn.
The show has already been a hit at the Mercury Lounge at Crown Casino, Watermark at the Docklands and Furnace at Fountain Gate.
Bontemps said the inspiration for Tropical Fiesta came from a 2003 trip to Sydney to meet his relatives.
He said he was saddened to see that his young cousins were ashamed of their Mauritian heritage.
“My cousins introduced themselves as Lebanese because to be Mauritian was not respected,” Bontemps said.
He returned to Melbourne determined to promote Mauritian culture among younger people.
“The traditional cultural dances were for the older generation, whilst the youth went to the city nightclubs to be with their friends and groove to the popular music.
“I thought it was time to educate the youth of today to teach them where the urban music of today was created, which is from all our ethnic backgrounds, such as African music, sega (Mauritian), Latin music, and reggae.
“The urban music of today has become too commercialised and pop and has lost its cultural base in our society. The children of today believe urban music comes from the American HipHop scene where a white boy like Eminem has created this culture.
“We want the youth of today to celebrate urban music and to realise that it’s not just a white boy rapping from America.
“It’s time to bring the culture back to our community and reeducate the youth of today that urban music is not Australian or American, but was created from our own nationalities.”
In 2004, Furnace approached Bontemps and Whateva Entertainment to develop Tropical Fiesta into an event for the young people of Mauritian background.
“It’s brought the Mauritian culture to the nightclubs so the Mauritian youth can enjoy the music their parents enjoy with a mixture of their own,” Bontemps said.
“These events are not only for the Mauritian community but have also attracted many people from diverse cultures who have enjoyed the sounds of the Mauritian culture.”
DJs play a mix of Creole, Latino, reggae, dance hall and oldschool sounds. Acts, singers, and dancers from the Mauritian community appear live.
On 2 September, ‘Tropical Fiesta’ will be at Room 680 nightclub.
Priscilla Leveque, who has just tried her luck in Australian Idol and made it into the top 100 contestants to be invited to Sydney, will perform live with a huge floor show.
It will also feature a lineup of local DJs from the South Eastern Suburbs including Tony Jean, Jewels, Raydr, Hyper, DVST8 , Revelino, and MC Rudeboy.
Room 680 is at 680 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. For more information phone Whateva Entertainment on 9708 5771.
