OUR STRUGGLE Mauritius: an Exploration of Colonial Legacies on an 'Island Paradise'

It is unlikely that anyone reading this article can say that they have not been affected in some way by past colonial activity. Whether through diasporas, interaction with new cultural attitudes or the exposure of our taste buds to new foods, one thing is certain: no one remains unaffected. However, for some, the colonial experience is one that is very present in day-to-day life. This article examines Mauritius, an island 'created' in its modern guise by colonialism. It juxtaposes the colonial legacies of Europe with the ideals of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, former Prime Minister of Mauritius and unequivocal pere de la nation, as laid out in his (co-authored) book Our Struggle (1992). The book outlines the 'epic struggle' of a colonial island, under British rule, to achieve a peaceful transition to independence. For an island foreshadowed by doom in the years following independence, how has 'islandness' and isolation helped it to become a rare economic success story? By finding an equilibrium between the turbulence of its past and the needs of its future, Mauritius has used the colonial experience to shape the modern island and in so doing develop a sense of nationhood. That sense of cultural heritage, currently defined through literature, could undergo a dramatic transformation as an archaeological perspective is added to the historic.