The indentured period ended in 1922 with the arrival of the last batch of labourer immigrants from India. However, their presence in Mauritius dates as far back as the 17th century. The arrival of the first immigrants, celebrated today, reminds us of their efforts and participation in the development of the country. The itinerant exhibition, organized last week by the Mauritian Cultural Centre, the Mahatma Gandhi Institute and the National Heritage Fund aimed at showing the history of indentured labour which they describe as “one of suffering, resistance, cultural resilience, hard work and social mobility.”

The Indian immigrants’ arrival in Mauritius started in 1834 as the colonial committee decided to call for mass workers from India. This decision was the result of the British wish to make Mauritius the sugar granary of the British Empire. The latter faced no difficulties in attracting Indian workers, as the living conditions in India at that time were deplorable. On the whole, more than 454 000 indentured labourers came to Mauritius during the three colonial regimes. About 160 000 of them immigrated to Ile de France under the British colonial system between 1834 and 1910.

The first contingent came from Madras. Another group composed of 22 000 indentured labourers came soon after to work in the sugar industry, with some 300 factories in operation. However, the greatest number of Indian immigrants arrived between 1874 and 1880. They earned about five rupees per month and used to save a small part of their wages for the journey back to India at the end of their five-year contract.

However, most of the Indian immigrants decided to stay in Mauritius. Some of them disappeared while others acquired land. The factory owners were not very happy with this situation as they had taken time to train them. Manhunts were organized to find them. Offended, 9 400 Indian immigrants signed, in 1872, a petition in which they denounced the bad treatment inflicted on them. The document was sent to Her Majesty the Queen of England. The latter sent the same year a Royal commission to enquire into the situation.

The indentured labourers were at one time assimilated with slaves. Most people even thought that the immigration of indentured labourers was a soft form of slavery but this was not the case. Significant differences existed between indentured labourers and slaves. The latter could not make land acquisition and were not paid for their work.

The majority of the Indian immigrants did not have the right to vote till 1886. Only 212 out of the 10 000 inhabitants of the Black River district could vote. Port-Louis had only 1,500 voters and Flacq 600. The arrival of Indian immigrants definitely contributed to an important part of our History.