We all learned at school about the stories of migrants from India, who came to Mauritius as indentured labourers after the abolition of slavery. The identity photos that the colonial administration made of them, as from the 1830s up to the early twentieth century, are a more or less familiar documentation.

However, when we look at these archives attentively, some faces come out with striking traits that are not the norm of the Great Peninsula : slanting eyes, fair skin and conical hats… Whether they embarked in Penang, Singapore or Calcutta, these workers came from Fujian, Guangdong or Guangzhou (Canton), from the nation that invented paper and powder, China. The exhibition at the Hua Lien club in Trianon gives us more insights about those who played a significant part in the building of modern Mauritius.

The visitor can thus have an overview of the context in which the Chinese diaspora began (political and economical turmoil during the first half of the 19th century) and reached Mauritius: a series of panels showing richly commented maps and photos is our guide. We learn, for example, about the oldest standing “Chinese shop” in Port-Louis, Hayme’s shop.

This building was owned by one of the first eight Chinese men who were allowed to do business in Mauritius. Hayme, who was on good terms with Governor Farqhar, had the opportunity to show his flair for trade as early as 1837.

One aim of this retrospective is, according to its organizer, Henry Loo, to arouse consciousness among people of Chinese descent of their identity, which is tending to disappear from generation to generation.

Ultimately, this exhibition is an invitation to all well-intentioned persons to contribute to a projected Chinese Heritage Centre, which is to be located on the premises of the Fock Diack Society’s Pagoda, found in Rémy Ollier Street, Chinatown. They can do so through donations of archives, documents or objects such as old furniture, abacus, sewing machines, old traditional clothes…

Those interested can contact Henry Loo on 258 5385 or through email: [email protected] or [email protected].

Olivier MASSON</B>