Recent press reports suggest that a new look is promised with regard to Mauritian cultural heritage policies. There is certainly a great deal to do in the direction of promoting national unity and much evidence that attention to cultural issues is an important precursor to sustained economic development. Culture and cultural heritage are not only ?looking at the past? , they are essential ingredients for guiding peoples? aspirations, and economic development. A first step towards the promotion of our identity as a nation and hence our economic progress is to understand our cultural heritage, and to protect it.

● What is our cultural heritage?

Anything can be considered to be heritage. Heritage can be tangible ? buildings and sites, or intangible, like cuisine, traditions or pilgrimages. It might be our manner of dress, an old boutique du coin in a village or the Pieter Both mountain.

Society at large determines what comprises our ?heritage? and what are the important elements to preserve. So the onus is on political leaders and those professionals in the field of cultural heritage ? historians, museum professionals, architects, artists, journalists and sociologists ? to lead the public in an understanding of the history and the elements of importance of our past.

There is a tendency, especially marked in Mauritius, to associate heritage with ethnicity or groups of people, so that there is Indian cuisine, Creole language or colonial architecture which are taken to represent specific communities. However, it is important for us as citizens to believe that ALL heritage belongs to ALL Mauritians and that all Mauritians are part of that heritage. The village and garden of Pamplemousses, for example, are important for all Mauritians both to enjoy their natural beauty, and to reflect on the historical development of the island. There are lessons and links for all Mauritians in all cultural heritage sites and buildings, as well as in the intangible aspects of our diverse cultural heritage. In the same way Aapravasi Ghat should be reclaimed ? via its original and authentic name as an Immigration Depot ? by ALL Mauritians, for we are all descended from immigrants.

Heritage is NOT the privileged domain of one group or another, but is possessed by the nation. No heritage belongs to a particular community, it belongs to all.

The Mauritian people need to rethink the creation of ?Cultural centres? and trust funds associated with specific heritage sites or elements, and their elevation to the level of national institutions.

● Researching heritage

The identification of what constitutes national heritage should be based on solid historical research. However, communities and even countries might believe that something is important for their identity, which might not be supported by historical investigation. Myths are also important as elements of heritage but a distinction should be made when a heritage is mythical and when it is historical.

The danger of mixing myths with historical fact is mainly political. In Mauritius, we should be wary of myths in our cultural heritage and we must take care neither to demonize nor to create victims. At this stage in our young history as an independent nation, there is a great need to emphasize the positive and real - not mythical ? contributions of our citizens.

Collaboration with credible foreign research organisations in the field of heritage should be supported more widely than at present. There are rich and unexplored fields of heritage, such as underwater heritage, industrial archaeology and modern history, which could be addressed.

Sound historical research should continue to be supported by the University, Mauritius Research Council (MRC), the MGI and other institutions. The publication of results should receive a public subsidy. The initiatives by the University of Mauritius and the Mauritius Museums Council to publish research journals, is to be strongly encouraged. Why does the MRC not devote a higher proportion of its budget to historical and heritage research, and to insist on publication of results? It is heartening also to note the involvement of newspapers in the dissemination of research results.

● Strategies of managing heritage

Many national heritage sites belong to Government, but are vested in Ministries other than the Culture ministry. Some of them are in the hands of private individuals or companies. Few of these organisations ? public or private ? have any wish to see their control removed and many of them perceive ?heritage? as possessing little value. It is imperative that confidence be boosted in government?s competence to manage heritage effectively.

In both public and private hands, there is a long trail of poorly preserved heritage ? there are numerous cases of buildings with heritage importance having been demolished or simply left to disintegrate. The public museums, it is sad to say, are generally in a poor condition and would benefit from upgrading.

It appears that if an economic role can be found for heritage, it eases its preservation and ensures that it is sustainably managed. Why not charge rental on heritage buildings or sites which can be used for functional purposes? Are the Line Barracks or Old Civil Hospital in Port Louis ? both national heritage ? being charged sufficient rental for their upkeep? Similarly, is there a case for charging entry to national museums?

After all, museums are not free since they cost the State ? in other words the people - many millions of rupees annually. It is simply a question of transferring some of the existing charges to those who use them. Models of managing museums exist among non-government museums, some of which even have certain days which are free, thus guaranteeing that even the poorest citizen has access.

If government accepts the two principles (i) of private ? public partnerships (PPP) for protecting, developing and managing heritage, (ii) of providing incentives to private owners of heritage for preservation, then we could unleash much of the latent wealth of heritage sites and buildings and allow them to play a more active role in the economy. The possibilities are boundless in the domains of leisure, education, handicrafts, performing arts and especially tourism.

Government should provide incentives to private owners of heritage for the maintenance of the site ? numerous models exist in other countries. Finally, why not adopt what the Indian Government has initiated ? the private company Indian Oil now helps maintain the Taj Mahal. The PPP principle has many aspects to commend it and deteriorating national heritage buildings could be a thing of the past.

All this would increase the public confidence in government?s ability to effectively preserve our national heritage.

There is a tendency in Mauritius, to associate heritage with ethnicity, so that there is Indian cuisine, Creole language or colonial architecture. It is important for us as citizens to believe that ALL heritage belongs to ALL Mauritians and that all Mauritians are part of that heritage.

● Why is heritage not used more in tourism?

During the 1960s and 1970s the developers of our tourism industry placed accent on our two most visible attractions ? our tropical climate-natural features, and our hospitality.

Whilst these two factors continue to dominate the marketing of Destination Mauritius, the nascent eco-tourism activities are now adding value to our tourist product. Cultural heritage is an integral part of this and it is heartening to witness the beginnings to this aspect of local tourism. As tourist professionals know, visit the Caribbean islands, Malta or Vanuatu, you will find cultural festivals to be a major source of income and valorisation of local culture. For years now, we have heard of a possible ?Festival du Sucre? and seen the beginnings of the ?Route du Thé?. Congratulations to those who have entered into the field as they know just how difficult it is to start up new activities. They are pioneers who need support ? does government do enough to help them? What facilities are they provided for advertising their products? If an eco-tourist operator is not part of a hotel group, how does he have access to clients? It is still not in the interest of a beach resort to encourage clients away from their hotel ? why encourage him to spend the day discovering old Port Louis in the company of a local guide, visiting museums and sites or buying handicrafts not in the resort shop? It is a chicken-and-egg situation that the tourists who come to Mauritius are only interested in sun, sea and sand... if they are attracted here solely for this, of course it will be true. Nearly 40% of the GDP of some Caribbean island states is generated by music and musico-cultural festivals. It is astounding to calculate the huge importance of Bob Marley to the national economy of Jamaica ? the country has cashed in on its cultural heritage!

The value to economic development and sharing the tourism cake, by promoting the authentic heritage of China Town or Chamarel should be easy to see. In future, perhaps these initiatives and others like them, will be more soundly supported.

● How is ?patrimoine? taught?

Every actor in the historical field will tell you that ?history is not taught in schools?. Why not? Well, for whatever reasons, it is time that it was. Would it not be wonderful if the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Mauritius was appreciated by all and this knowledge was manifested in the performing arts, visits and activities at properly maintained heritage sites, well-preserved and appropriately-used heritage buildings? A plethora of activities would be sustained by a better-informed public. Such activities would contribute to the development of Mauritius.

Look at what the foreign and local biologists have done for Mauritius in the field of endangered birds and plants projects... a remarkable achievement of Dr Carl Jones and the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation to the economy ? yes, to the economy. That this could occur in the cultural heritage field.

● What is our National Identity? And our national heritage policy?

Do we have a national identity? Of course we do. While there are many aspects of our daily lives or spiritual beliefs or dress that link or tie us to some well-defined cultural heritage also present in other countries, we are all Mauritian.

The Mauritian people need to rethink the creation of ?Cultural centres? and Trust Funds associated with specific heritage sites or elements, and their elevation to the level of National institutions. It is clear that our national heritage is Mauritian, and not divisible. Why not simply two national organisations for government; one for Heritage and one for Civilisations - Mauritian Culture?

● Should government not gather together all the actors and stakeholders in the cultural field and work out a national cultural policy?

A policy which looks far into the future and inspires citizens towards the consolidation of integrity, meritocracy, spiritual maturity and material progress. Only clear policies which integrate ALL Mauritians in a view of the future where all have a place, will gain support. Our cultural heritage is not only about our past, it is about where we are going. And the better we understand our past ? the past four-hundred short years of human habitation in Mauritius ? the better we can direct our future.

Philippe LA HAUSSE DE LALOUVIÈRE