Indo-Mauritian
Encyclopedia
Indo-Mauritians are people of India
n descent living on the island of Mauritius
, where they represent a majority comprising 68% of the population according to the July 2007 statistics. There is also a significant migrant population of Bhumihar Brahmin
s in Mauritius
who have made a mark for themselves in different fields and they are still in touch with their family members in India
and there are instances of marital relations between them to keep their cultural identity intact. There are also a large number of Koery agriculturists who have made a mark for themselves in every filed in Mauritious being either from eastern UP or Bihar originally. A majority of Indo-Mauritians are of Bihari
descent (among the Hindus: Brahmin, Rajput, Kurmi, Bhumihar, Yadav, Banias, and Kayastha castes are well represented). However, a significant proportion came from other parts of the subcontinent.
d labourers to work the sugarcane
fields. They were often referred to as "coolie
s", working under a leader known as "Sardaar". They were mostly immigrants from Bhojpuri-speaking areas (including both Hindu
s and Muslim
s) but to a much lesser extent from regions such as Gujarat and Bombay. Tamil
s and Telugu
s came some decades before, probably brought by the French, as laborers.
s. [Indian natives came during the French period (i.e. a century before the British) for the construction of the city of Port-Louis and construction of churches, mosques mandirams and kovils. They are known to be the first people to bring Hinduism
on the island.
Since the early 1900s, doctor
s, businessmen, lawyer
s, scientist
s, people in the IT sector, traders
and their families began arriving in Mauritius. The later waves came from various regions of India, with significant numbers from Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bengal, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi. These people have greatly contributed to Mauritius' economy and knowledge.
n Hindus compose 52%, South India
n Hindus another quarter, and the Muslims (from any part of India) forming most of the remaining population. There are also minorities, such as Sikh
s, Christian
s, Hare Krishnas
(became popular throughout the 1970s) and non-religious. A small and unspecified population are also followers of the Bahá'í Faith
. There is also a small Buddhist population.
Hindus tend to follow the Indian Caste system to a certain extent, though, because of their relatively small population in comparison to India, the system has become less complex and in some cases completely overlooked.
There is a Sikh Gurudwara in Port Louis, named Sri Guru Singh Sabha. It is the only major Gurudwara in Mauritius. Most Sikhs outside Port Louis pray at home. Several Mosques and Temples also exist throughout the island. Indian-dominated churches are mostly based in southern Mauritius.
There are also small groups of Indo-Mauritians in Rodrigues, locally known as Indo-Rodriguans. The population on the main island has increased by the arrival of the Chagossians of Indian origin, although they are classed as "other" under the national census.
Most Indo-Mauritians speak Creole. The remaining population speak Hindi, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Gujarati
, Marathi
, Tamil
or Telugu
. Out of the whole population, 0.6% of Indo-Mauritians do not speak Creole
. However, because most Mauritians are multilingual, most of the Indo-Mauritians speak both Creole and at least one (if not more) Indian Language, plus English and French.
Indo-Mauritians have had the largest impact on Mauritian life dominating the economic and political faces of the island. Most Hindu celebrations are public holidays. Indian food and ingredients are enjoyed by most of the people, with Alouda, Dhol Puri, Carri (curry) being some of the most well-known dishes. Indian influenced music is also strong. The island has its own groups of Bhojpuri singers and this 'style' is becoming as popular as the Sega
. Bhojpuri as well as Bollywood and Bhangra are some of the most popular genres of music, however they are mostly enjoyed by the Indo-Mauritians.
is the most popular sport amongst Mauritians. Vikash Dhorasoo, born in Harfleur near Le Havre
in Normandy
, is of Indo-Mauritian origin, his family originally hailing from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
. He was selected for the French squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, but only saw limited playing time during the tournament becoming the second person of Indian origin to be in the World Cup (Aron Winter
being the first).
with Amitabh Bachchan
in lead role.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n descent living on the island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, where they represent a majority comprising 68% of the population according to the July 2007 statistics. There is also a significant migrant population of Bhumihar Brahmin
Bhumihar
Bhumihar or Babhan or Bhuin-har is a Brahmin Hindu community mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.- Varna status :...
s in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
who have made a mark for themselves in different fields and they are still in touch with their family members in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and there are instances of marital relations between them to keep their cultural identity intact. There are also a large number of Koery agriculturists who have made a mark for themselves in every filed in Mauritious being either from eastern UP or Bihar originally. A majority of Indo-Mauritians are of Bihari
Bihari people
The Biharis are an ethnic group originating from the present state of Bihar with a history going back three millennia...
descent (among the Hindus: Brahmin, Rajput, Kurmi, Bhumihar, Yadav, Banias, and Kayastha castes are well represented). However, a significant proportion came from other parts of the subcontinent.
Indentured Labourers
The first of these Indians arrived to the Immigration Depot in 1834 as indentureIndenture
An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...
d labourers to work the sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
fields. They were often referred to as "coolie
Coolie
Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
s", working under a leader known as "Sardaar". They were mostly immigrants from Bhojpuri-speaking areas (including both Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s) but to a much lesser extent from regions such as Gujarat and Bombay. Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
s and Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
s came some decades before, probably brought by the French, as laborers.
Later immigrants
After having abandoned the Indentured labourer system in Mauritius, Indian immigrants had already formed the majority of the population of the island, but there were later waves of immigrants to complement them. These immigrants came from all over India, with most being HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s. [Indian natives came during the French period (i.e. a century before the British) for the construction of the city of Port-Louis and construction of churches, mosques mandirams and kovils. They are known to be the first people to bring Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
on the island.
Since the early 1900s, doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s, businessmen, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s, scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s, people in the IT sector, traders
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and their families began arriving in Mauritius. The later waves came from various regions of India, with significant numbers from Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bengal, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi. These people have greatly contributed to Mauritius' economy and knowledge.
Demographics and Indo-Mauritians today
Today the population can be broken down into three main groups: Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Of the entire Indo-Mauritian population, North IndiaNorth India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
n Hindus compose 52%, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n Hindus another quarter, and the Muslims (from any part of India) forming most of the remaining population. There are also minorities, such as Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s, Hare Krishnas
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
(became popular throughout the 1970s) and non-religious. A small and unspecified population are also followers of the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
. There is also a small Buddhist population.
Hindus tend to follow the Indian Caste system to a certain extent, though, because of their relatively small population in comparison to India, the system has become less complex and in some cases completely overlooked.
There is a Sikh Gurudwara in Port Louis, named Sri Guru Singh Sabha. It is the only major Gurudwara in Mauritius. Most Sikhs outside Port Louis pray at home. Several Mosques and Temples also exist throughout the island. Indian-dominated churches are mostly based in southern Mauritius.
There are also small groups of Indo-Mauritians in Rodrigues, locally known as Indo-Rodriguans. The population on the main island has increased by the arrival of the Chagossians of Indian origin, although they are classed as "other" under the national census.
Most Indo-Mauritians speak Creole. The remaining population speak Hindi, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
, Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
or Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
. Out of the whole population, 0.6% of Indo-Mauritians do not speak Creole
Mauritian Creole
Mauritian Creole is a French-based creole language spoken in Mauritius. In addition to the French base of the language, there are also some words from English and from the many African and Asian languages that have been spoken on the island.- Sociolinguistic Situation :Mauritian Creole is the...
. However, because most Mauritians are multilingual, most of the Indo-Mauritians speak both Creole and at least one (if not more) Indian Language, plus English and French.
Indo-Mauritians have had the largest impact on Mauritian life dominating the economic and political faces of the island. Most Hindu celebrations are public holidays. Indian food and ingredients are enjoyed by most of the people, with Alouda, Dhol Puri, Carri (curry) being some of the most well-known dishes. Indian influenced music is also strong. The island has its own groups of Bhojpuri singers and this 'style' is becoming as popular as the Sega
Sega music
Sega music or Séga is the major music of the Mascarene Islands: Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues as well as of the Seychelles. Sega is similar to the Réunionnais music genre maloya. Another form of dance similar to the sega is the Seychellois moutya. Sega music originated among the slave...
. Bhojpuri as well as Bollywood and Bhangra are some of the most popular genres of music, however they are mostly enjoyed by the Indo-Mauritians.
| Indo-Mauritian | Birth year | Death year | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dookhee Gungah | 1867 | 1944 | Philanthropist, social worker, benevolent entrepreneur, pioneer of free education in Mauritius |
| Sir Sir Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures... Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam KT,GCMG,KCMG,LRCP, MRCS is the first Chief Minister, Prime Minister and sixth Governor General of Mauritius.... |
1900 | 1985 | First Prime Minister and one of the three founding fathers of Independent Mauritius |
| Sookdeo Bissoondoyal Sookdeo Bissoondoyal Sookdeo Bissoondoyal was one of the major leaders who fought for the independence of Mauritius.-Career:... |
1908 | 1977 | Politician and one of the three founding fathers of independent Mauritius. |
| Sir Sir Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures... Anerood Jugnauth Anerood Jugnauth Sir Anerood Jugnauth , KCMG, QC, GCSK, PC, LLB, GOLH, GOP, ORS is the President of Mauritius and all its dependencies... |
1930 | Living | Current President of Mauritius. |
| Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay | 1945 | Living | Chief justice. |
| Navin Ramgoolam Navin Ramgoolam Navinchandra Ramgoolam, GCSK, FRCP, MP is the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Minister of Defence, Home Affairs & External Communications, as well as Leader of the National Assembly. Being the leader of the Mauritian Labour Party, he serves as Member of parliament for constituency No... |
1947 | Living | Current Prime Minister of Mauritius. |
| Vikash Dhorasoo | 1973 | Living | Mauritian-French football player. |
| Sir Sir Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures... Abdool Razack Mohamed Abdool Razack Mohamed Sir Abdool Razack Mohamed Kt, MP is an Indian born former key Mauritian Minister in the pre and post-independence cabinet of Mauritius. He is celebrated as one of the fathers of the modern state of Mauritius, and he was the leader of the political party called the CAM... |
1906 | 1978 | Born in Calcutta, Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both... , Mayor of Port-Louis |
Sports
FootballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
is the most popular sport amongst Mauritians. Vikash Dhorasoo, born in Harfleur near Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, is of Indo-Mauritian origin, his family originally hailing from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. He was selected for the French squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, but only saw limited playing time during the tournament becoming the second person of Indian origin to be in the World Cup (Aron Winter
Aron Winter
Aron Mohamed Winter [VIN-ter] is a retired Dutch football midfielder and current head coach of Toronto FC...
being the first).
Popular culture
Indo-Mauritian family life was portrayed in 2005 Hindi film Dil Jo Bhi KaheyDil Jo Bhi Kahey...
Dil Jo Bhi Kahey... is a Bollywood film released in 2005. It is directed by Romesh Sharma who is best known for having produced Hum...
with Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
in lead role.