Traditional Childhood Songs

These traditional childhood songs are songs that I learnt and sang from when I was in crèche –lakres– through to primary school. Songs that Miss Wilna Gontier, Yvonne Accouche and other teachers, the name of whom I have forgotten, taught us.

We also used to sing these songs in the school bus that used to pick us in the morning and drop us off after school. The bus belonged to the Catholic church and the driver was a gentle person named André.

These French songs were introduced to the Seychelles by the French speaking settlers, sailors and traders as well as the Catholic missionaries and the English songs by the British Administrators when the Seychelles was a British colony. Some of these songs were found in a small booklet entitled Le Serin Chanteur . It was a small song book that we all had at school and it contained French as well as English songs.

These songs defined my childhood, and I am sure that it did also for many of us who were at school then. Sure, at the time, we had little idea what were were singing, but I cannot deny that these songs have left lasting memories, that is why, when I hear them, I become nostalgic. They may also bring nostalgic memories to you and may take you down the memory lane and make your childhood days flash right before your eyes.

I have compiled, below, a collection of these English and French songs. Please note that some of these songs may have different versions and, where possible, I have attempted to link them to an audio version as well.

Please click on the song title to access the full song. Please note also that not all the songs are linked yet. This will be done progressively. This list will also gradually expand.