Menwar

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} __NOTOC__ {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Menwar | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Stéphano Honoré | alias = Lélou, Menwar | background = solo_singer | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1955|10|21}} | birth_place = Cassis, Mauritius | death_date = | origin = | instrument = | occupation = Percussionist, singer | years_active = 1970s–present | label = | associated_acts = Sagaï | website = http://menwar.net/ }}

'''Stéphano Honoré''', (born 21 October 1955 in Cassis, Mauritius)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://menwar.net/menwar.html |title=Biographie |accessdate=28 March 2008 |language=French |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315203130/http://menwar.net/menwar.html |archive-date=15 March 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> better known as '''Menwar''', is a Mauritian percussionist and singer. He was one of the pioneers of Seggae music, forming the group Sagaï in the 1980s. Honoré is a player of the ravanne, for which he has begun to develop a written technique, something that has not been done previously. He also plays multiple instruments that he has selfmade or that come from the African culture.

Honoré was born in Cassis, Port-Louis. He did not attend school, but attempted to play numerous sports and worked several jobs.<ref name=syncope>{{cite journal |date=October 2004 |title=Menwar: L’appel de la Ravanne |journal=Syncope |volume=5 |url=http://syncope.free.fr/menwar.htm |accessdate= 27 March 2008 |language=French }}</ref> He often listened to recordings of traditional Mauritian music, particularly sega (or séga) as a child. In 1977 he released two 45 rpm records on the Madagascar label Green Turtle and two more in 1978. Honoré was known as Lélou before his first cassette, ''Souvenir le port'', was released in 1980, credited as Menwar.<ref name=plus>{{cite news |first=Michaëlla |last=Seblin |title=L’écho de la ravanne |url=http://www.ile-maurice.com/mirror/http/www.5plusltd.com_80/new/archive/2003/mai/18_05_2003/rendezvous.htm |work=5-Plus Dimance |date=18 May 2003 |accessdate=27 March 2008 |language=French }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Honoré went back to Mauritius in 1993, but still traveled to and from the island of Réunion while producing and performing music.<ref name=plus/> During the 1990s, he participated in a Marseille musical comedy entitled ''Mokko'' and was featured on another artist's album.<ref name=rfi>{{cite news |first=Bertrand |last=Lavaine |title=Aux rythmes de Menwar |url=http://www.rfimusique.com/musiquefr/articles/078/article_16443.asp |publisher=Radio France Internationale |location=Paris, France |date= 23 June 2006 |accessdate=27 March 2008 |language=French }}</ref>

Honoré was named Artist of the Year by French radio station Radio France Internationale.<ref name=hymne>{{cite news |title=L’hymne créole |url=http://www.iocp.info/mauritius/menwar.php |work=L'Express |publisher=La Sentinelle |date=12 January 2007 |accessdate=27 March 2008 |language=French }}</ref>

Honoré holds strong views about the Mauritian Creole community and the issues that this community and Mauritians in general faced and are still facing nowadays by singing stories inspired by his own life experiences or those of his relatives.<ref name=hymne/><ref name=syncope/> Despite these ideas he is not politically active, in contrast with the musicians of seggae, a Mauritian musical genre which was very popular in the early 1990s.<ref name=rfi/>

==Discography== *1980: ''Souvenir le port'' *1982: ''Létan l'enfer'' *1984: ''Kiltir dé zi'' *2006: ''Ay ay lolo''

==See also== *List of Mauritian musicians

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{in lang|fr}} [http://menwar.net/ Official site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menwar}} Category:1955 births Category:Mauritian percussionists Category:Mauritian singers Category:People from Port Louis District Category:Living people