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Chagossian creole
French-based creole of former Chagos Islands inhabitants From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Chagossian creole, also known as Chagossian Kreol, (also créole îlois, kreol Ilwa, or just Ilwa) is a French-based creole that was still spoken in 1994 by the 1,800 or so Chagossians, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Ilwa is a variety of Mauritian Creole with influences from Seychellois Creole. It is currently spoken mainly in Mauritius and the Seychelles.[2] There is also a small minority community speaking the language in the United Kingdom.[3]
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History
Chagossian creole was developed on what would become the British Indian Ocean Territory, following the abolition of slavery within the British Empire as a way for the native Chagossians as well as the indentured Indian and Chinese labourers of the island to communicate. Chagossian creole also gained the shorthand name of "Zilois" as a result.[4] Sega tambour Chagos dancing is performed including Chagossian creole singing, which originated from these workers.[5]
Even after Chagossian removal from the British Indian Ocean Territory and their subsequent resettlement within the United Kingdom, Chagossian creole continued to be spoken by the Chagossians as a symbol of their culture and identity.[6] This had occasionally led to conflict with the British, with some schools banning the use of Chagossian creole from their grounds.[3] It has also been used as a language of protest, with it being featured by Chagossians protesting the proposal by the British government to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius without consulting them.[7]
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See also
References
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