GRAND ANGLE
Malenn Oodiah , you are regarded as one of those who have spent the most time observing Mauritian society . How did you get to this point ? My teenage years in the seventies were marked by the intellectual revolution which emerged with the birth of the ‘ Mouvement Militant Mauritian ’ and its slogan ‘ class struggle should replace race struggle ’ and of which , one of the main focuses was the claim of a Mauritian culture geared towards the promotion of Creole language and Sega . I am from the “ May-1975 generation ”, that is to say , the Mauritian version of the student ’ s revolt . I opted for sociology for my higher education and later on , history . My two hobbies were and still are developmental sociology and political sociology . Upon my return to the country , I spent one whole year in public records , performing research on the history of Mauritius . Thereafter , I continued this research , analysis and observation work which I have shared for over 30 years with my fellow citizens through the media .
Over the past 50 years , since Mauritius gained independence , how has the Mauritian society evolved ? What is the current state of affairs today ? At the time Mauritius attained independence , the country was suffering from underdevelopment , and the society was divided after two decades of political struggle marked by communalism . The Mauritian society has experienced a deep socio-economic and cultural shift over these 50 years . As a whole , we can be proud of what has been accomplished from an economic perspective as well as ‘ living and building together ’ perspective . However , dangerous and deadly dynamics have spread in our society since the emergence of the ethno-populism in the 1990s . The riots of February 1999 – the uprising of the outcasts – which skidded into communal brawls revealed that in spite of our strength , we are still a fragile society . Unfortunately , we have not learned all that had to be learned from it . Today , the Mauritian society has ventured down a very dangerous road because it suffers from several deficits – of which : the heart , intelligence , reason and common sense . Living and building together is faced with a social blockage . Our society has a great need for a recasting of politics as much as a cultural revolution , we need to make sure that we are sustaining the Mauritian DNA which is the living and building together .
Can we really talk about a Mauritian identity ? Identity is a complex concept . It is diverse , a person has various identities . When we talk about the Mauritian identity , it is to be opposed to ethnic identity . The question would rather be : do we consider ourselves as Mauritians ? The answer is ‘ Yes ’ for a very substantial majority . In 1998 , a survey revealed that 93 % of our fellow-citizens felt initially Mauritian ; ten years afterwards , the result is not as flattering . The Mauritian identity is the result of a long journey that started a long time ago ; it nourishes itself from our diversity , which is an advantage . A Mauritian immersed into diversity since childhood is tolerant and respects others . He is infatuated with justice and is supportive .
What brings Mauritians together ? What topics create division ? Nation-building moments are rare . However , our recent history shows strong moments of national pride : The Indian Ocean Games and prowess of our sportsmen on an international level , or music with the example of Jane Constance , peace ambassadress for UNESCO . In difficult moments such as the floods , Mauritians showed great solidarity and national unity . Politics is a divisive factor : promoting ethno-populism while practicing ethnic clientelism . A model of development which generates increasing inequalities and which does not manage to fight against violation of human dignity , for instance poverty , is also a divisive factor .
Can we say that there is a strong sense of citizenship in the development of the country ? The socio-economic development cannot be done without the citizens , and there is definitely a citizenship in many fields such as the fight against poverty , environment or even the promotion of art . In Mauritius , we tend to focus on our failures and to ignore the initiatives and positive ( concrete ) steps of many citizens . One of the challenges of Mauritius consists of creating an environment in which a participative democratic citizenship could evolve .
When observing other countries , one can note that people from different origins , cultures , or religions often have trouble understanding and respecting each other and coexisting in peace . Many people see Mauritius as a successful example for the whole world . What are your thoughts on this ? Yes , Mauritius is definitely an example . Better , it can become a model for success . For that , we need more than just tolerance ; we need to open up to others to get a chance to learn more about their culture . To free ourselves from the stereotypes and the prejudice related to our history marked by cultural domination , and which are passed down from one generation to another , this is the work to be undertaken . Our multiculturalism has the potential of evolving to cosmopolitanism .
Finally , instead of being stubborn and seeking for a single identity , wouldn ’ t we benefit from betting on our diversity , the respect and the tolerance towards the unique yet different individual ? Isn ’ t this what best defines us as the ‘ rainbow nation ’? Our cultural and religious differences constitute our wealth . Looking for a single identity is impoverishing . Our history testifies our fight to preserve all differences while working along with them to build a national project . The reflection on the national identity must also take into account the impact of the cultural dimension of globalisation . With a historical background extending over three centuries , the Mauritian society has many strong points to find its place and even better , to be a model ; preceding a cosmopolitan future .
As a sociologist , what projects are you working on these days ? I am currently focusing on a reflective and analytical process which should lead to a social project . Launched on the 1 st of May for the 50 th Independence anniversary celebrations ( on the 12 th of March 2018 ), it is presented as a series of articles on the 25 challenges of Mauritius for today and tomorrow , with an emphasis on perspective and foresight . These challenges range from ‘ living and building together ’ to digital as well as eco-development and advocacy to rethink politics . The blog ‘ Projet de société ’ and its millennial version ‘ Looking for tomorrow ’ are addressed in these articles . It is an enthralling project .
46 LUXURY MAURITIUS