Indo-Mauritians

Indo-Mauritians
Group	Indo-Mauritians
Population	~650,000
Regions	Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues, South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada
Languages	Bhojpuri, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, English, French
Related	Indo-Caribbeans, Indian diaspora, South Asian Mauritians

Indo-Mauritians Indo-Mauritians are the largest ethnocultural group on Mauritius with roots in the Indian subcontinent, principally from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal Presidency, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Descendants of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century indentured labourers and later migrants, they shaped Mauritian society alongside communities from France, Africa, China, and Portugal. Their history intersects with global movements such as the Indian indenture system, the British Raj, and postcolonial migrations to South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

History

Indenture from the mid-1800s linked Mauritius to the British Empire and the sugar plantations managed by firms like the Compagnie des Indes orientales and planters under the Mauritius Colony administration. Migrants arrived via ships such as the Atlas (ship), the Scarborough (1841 ship), and vessels registered in Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. Recruitment networks in the Ceded and conquered provinces and districts of Patna, Varanasi, Hooghly District, and Chota Nagpur supplied labourers who signed contracts under laws influenced by the Indian Emigration Act and overseen by officials from the East India Company and later the Government of India. Labourers encountered plantation regimes shaped by planters linked to families like the De Chazal family and administrators associated with Sir William Gomm and Charles Colville (British Army officer). Resistance and negotiation produced cultural syncretism visible after emancipation movements influenced by figures such as Ramakrishna-inspired revivalists, reformers in Calcutta, and intermediaries connected to the Arya Samaj and Theosophical Society networks.

Demographics

Census data collected by the Central Statistics Office (Mauritius) and reports by the United Nations show concentration in urban centers such as Port Louis, Curepipe, Quatre Bornes, and Vacoas-Phoenix. Subgroups include descendants of Bhojpuri speakers from regions like Saran district, Siwan district, and Gaya district; Tamil migrants from Madurai and Tanjore; Telugu migrants from Godavari areas; Marathi migrants tied to Pune circuits; and Gujarati merchants linked to Surat and Kutch. Religious census categories reference communities affiliated with institutions such as Hindu Temple of Port Louis, Mosque of Camp des Lascars, Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandir, and St. André parish, intersecting with ethnic labels used by the Electoral Commission and sociologists at the University of Mauritius.

Culture and Religion

Religious life features temples, mosques, and community halls influenced by movements like the Arya Samaj, Sant Mat, and followers of Ramakrishna Mission. Festivals imported and adapted include Diwali, Holi, Maha Shivaratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, alongside observances such as Muharram and Eid al-Fitr for Muslim Indo-Mauritians. Cultural production shows links to performers and works tied to Bhojpuri cinema, the writings of diasporic authors who reference Premchand, and adaptations of devotional genres associated with Kabir and Tulsidas. Culinary traditions recall recipes from Bihari cuisine, Tamil cuisine, Gujarati cuisine, and Bengali cuisine, blending ingredients traded via ports like Le Port and markets such as Port Louis Central Market. Classical and folk arts reference instruments used in Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Qawwali, and social organizations echo models like the Maha Sabha and expatriate societies tied to Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji.

Language and Identity

Linguistic life includes heritage tongues—Bhojpuri, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati—alongside colonial and international languages French language and English language as taught at institutions like the University of Mauritius and used in publications such as the Mauritius Times. Media outlets and broadcast services resembling the programming of All India Radio and community newspapers reflect bilingual education policies influenced by statutes debated in assemblies like the Mauritian Legislative Assembly. Identity politics engages intellectuals informed by scholars from Oxford University, SOAS University of London, and the School of Oriental and African Studies, and activists influenced by movements such as Pan-Africanism and South Asian transnational networks including Hindustani association-type societies.

Political and Economic Influence

Indo-Mauritians have been prominent in parties such as the Labour Party (Mauritius), Militant Socialist Movement, Mauritian Militant Movement, Mauritian Social Democratic Party and in government posts including prime ministers drawn from figures with ties to names like Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Anerood Jugnauth, Navin Ramgoolam, Paul Bérenger, and Ameena Gurib-Fakim. Business leaders operate firms linked to sectors historically dominated by sugar companies and modern conglomerates comparable to entities influenced by Omnicane-type structures, with entrepreneurs engaging international partners from India and China. Union activity recalls associations similar to the Mauritius Trade Union Congress, and economic policy debates reference frameworks discussed at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Migration and Diaspora

Secondary migrations created communities in Réunion, South Africa, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore. Diasporic links include students at universities like Aix-Marseille University and professionals in multinational firms connected to Air Mauritius and shipping companies operating from Port Louis. Remittance flows and transnational family networks echo patterns analyzed by researchers at the International Organization for Migration and documented in histories of the Indian diaspora to places such as Trinidad and Tobago and Mauritius's sister communities in the Indian Ocean basin.

Notable Indo-Mauritians

Prominent political figures include Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Anerood Jugnauth, Navin Ramgoolam, Paul Bérenger, Ameena Gurib-Fakim, and Anwar Husnoo. Cultural figures and intellectuals include writers and artists associated with names like Kailash Purryag, Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, Lutfi Cader, Jean Claude de l'Estrac, Dev Virahsawmy, Kailash Mehta, Bhoolall Gopee, Nandanee Soornack, Gungah Biren, Rajesh Jeetah, Ramakant Gosain, Maurice Curé, J. M. Bréchignac, Bhojpuri singers and film-associated personalities linked through festivals akin to the Mauritius Film Festival. Sports personalities reflect connections to teams and events such as Olympic Games participation and regional tournaments like the Indian Ocean Island Games.

Category:Ethnic groups in Mauritius