Le Morne Mountain
What does the 1st of February mean to Mauritian Creoles? We know that it is a public holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery on the island of Mauritius. But how does it relate to us as individuals and collectively?
Growing up in the Ward 4 area, the 1st of February to me was simply a holiday for everyone, but it seemed particularly joyful for we Afro-Creoles who would enjoy sega parties at the sea-side. On returning home, we would sometimes see a TV programme on slavery, and certainly a news report about the events of the day.
Yet this event of abolition seemed remote to me. Firstly, I knew nothing of my family history. All I could say about myself was that I was a Creole. In my community, this meant having African roots and characteristics and being a Christian. This dual identity was important to us, living as we were in a society where we were a self-conscious minority in both ethnic and religious terms.
It was not until I was at university overseas that I understood that my family was not simply of African and Christian origin and that the term Creole was itself polysemous. It was at one time used to indicate an island-born status irrespective of ethnicity and is also the name of our mother tongue. Like most of my compatriots, and indeed my fellow citizens of the world, my family tree is pluri-ethnic. I began to identify myself as a child of many diasporas.
Many, if not most Mauritians have ancestors or family members from diverse backgrounds: Indian, Chinese, Creole, Muslim and probably European too. And our children and nephews and nieces are creating new identities and ‘homelands’. Our families are evolving, embracing new elements all the time. We all, forefathers, parents, our generation and children, have plural identities. The 1st February is therefore rightfully a national holiday for all communities – all Mauritians, without exception. I look forward to the day when our national heritage reflects this and no longer reduces us to chasing mountain fables…..
© Chris Cuniah
Author of Poetics of Blackness, Négritude, Créolité, Coolitude.
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