Creolism and Mauritius today

Zordi le 28 Oktob tou Kreol dan le monde entire bizin celebre zot kiltir Kreol.
Soyez fier d'etre un Creole et de votre riche culture.
be pround on this day and everyday to be a Creole.

The resurgence of Creolism in Mauritius

The debate has always been whether Mauritius is a Creole Island, a Creole Society or just a melting pot of some cultures which has produced a particular society which some would term “a la Mauricienne”.



If we were to look at history, the “peuplement” of Mauritius has been the same like for other French and British colonies i.e. societe esclavagiste, colonisation, French oligarchy, societe de plantation, liberation des esclaves, the bringing in of indentured labour from India as well as all the others who come on their own free will, like the Arabs, the Chinese, middle and low class Europeans, and so on…

The Mauritian society is only young (200 years old) whose social and cultural development emerged from the days of colonization to the present day and it is still, to my view, a dynamic society. In a paper presented by Thomas Eriksen he argued that in view of the “brassage” of cultures and the evolution of that island society “Tu dimun pu vini Creole”.

Are all Mauritians Creole or a bit Creole or somehow Creole is debatable, depending on the definition of Creole in context and time or whether the definition is narrow or wide whether it is “exclusive” or “inclusive”. The development of a Creole culture in Mauritius has its roots from “les chocs des cultures”o of colonial and post colonial days and led mainly by those of European and Africa descents who become Creoles (born in the colony), mullatoes, free people of colour, les Métis, Ti Creole, etc…The development of the Creole culture in Mauritius is marked by the music, (the sega), the architecture (case Creole) its particular cuisine(rougaille poisson sale) and the oral traditions,(contes, sirandanes) values, joie de vivre, amusement, etc…Many aspects if the Creole culture, if not all, are local creation and easily penetrate into the other cultures in Mauritius and no resistance is met. The same can be said that interaction with other cultures, internal and external, has also led the Creole culture to enrich itself. This is mainly reflected in today’s music and cuisine.

The process of bringing forwards this culture and led other to adopt it or part of it is called Creolisation. A young indo-mauritian solicitor girl told me that “ A Maurice nous vivons tous dans notre quotidien un peu de cette creolite.” The same argument was brought forward by Mr Esoof in one of its editorial. « Un peu » is well defined whereas some the Creoles of Mauritius live it fully day by day. This is probably why some like Jimmy Harmon and Danielle Florigny-Palmyre will argue that we are Creoles and “nous l’assumons, and if others have a problem in saying they are Creoles so they should not see a problem of us saying we are Creoles, because we are. It is a fact.”

This year more than ever the debate about Creolism in Mauritius has been raging…if it started with “malaise Creole” and the “Kaya murder” some years back, in October 2006 it turned to a new dimension when the Catholic Church decided to celebrate “La zourne Internasyonal Kreol”. The celebration which lasted over two weeks was more of a “prise de conscience” with the slogan “ kreol asim to lexiatans, celebrer nou valeur”.  

 JMR always outspoken pointed out, in on of his many pieces, that it was more than legitimate for the church to celebrate the Creole culture as most of its adepts are from this group. JML and his team successfully bring an awareness of many facets and richness of the Creole Culture to the wider Mauritian public. The debate on Creole leadership, the homely of Fr J Gregoire are still music to the ears of Creoles of Mauritius and food for thought for the politicians who think they can take the Creoles for granted, larzan contant in the Creole terminology. “No more” should we all answer, and may the message be loud and clear to all of them. From this day Creoles of Mauritius know that they should not expect miracles from others but to rely on their own force, courage and perseverance.

 

The other event which will surely have a great impact of giving Creolism a boost in Mauritius is the International Creole Festival put forward, very courageously, defying all odds, by the Minister for Tourism Xavier Duval. Many of us, no matter our political conviction, agree that it was a brave endeavour because for the first time in the History of Mauritius this is organized “au niveau de l’etat”. There is no hegemonic intention behind this manifestation, no political recuperation, and no other community should see a treat of “Creolisation” coming from this event. I am also particularly happy to see that no criticism has come neither from the MMM nor the MSM against this festival, I therefore understand that it has tri-partisan support. Well done, we are growing. 

 

Coming back to Creolism, it has always been resistant to any form of deculturation and threat to exterminate it. It survived the harsh rule of ‘French colonisation” and now winning the battle against cultural globilisation coming from Uncle Sam. Some intellectuals like Raphael Confiant and Mgr Gilbert Aubry would even put it that “Nous sommes precurseurs de la mondialisation”. This is echoed by all members of the IOCP who think that the more we are threatened the more we fight back and the stronger we become. The work and vulgarization and support the IOCP is receiving each day is the blatant proof. The increasing awareness of Creolism (the local culture Made in Mauritius) will help the country to regain its soul and become stronger against the looming threat of invasion from East or West, from the Orient to the Occident.

Let the spirit live on.

Louis de Lamare

IOCP