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The Chinese Diaspora and Heritage came to be set up some years ago in 2011 at a time as never before when the Community suddenly became aware of its vulnerability and asked questions about its own survival.
The Chinese community has been dwindling from 3.5 to 2 per cent of the overall Mauritian Population, mainly due to the choice of the younger generations after their studies overseas not returning home. The others who stayed behind did not speak any Chinese, be it Hakka or Cantonese.
If the Mauritian inheritors of Chinese culture were themselves out of touch with their own cultural riches and cut off from their own roots, the question is : Who will ensure the continuity of Chinese identity and culture in Mauritius? For sure we still have dragon and lion dances and Chinese cuisine. Is that all?
Fortunately, there were individuals unknown to each other who were also asking those questions on their own origins, their identities or the future of the Chinese community in Mauritius. Many thought of the need to meet the other Chinese in the Region, interact with them socially and do business with them. Living in a multicultural society, they also felt the urgent need to meet with the members of the other Diasporas from India and Africa, in order to promote their shared values. There was, however, no institution or network providing them with a meeting place to discuss and share their ideas.
Actually the Chinese Diaspora and Heritage was set up to answer a need. Within a year of its establishment, CDH was invited by UNESCO to help set up the Emigration Memorial in Songkou, Guangdong China Next, CDH with the help of the Ministry of Arts and Culture also set up a Plaque at the Frederik Hendrik Museum in Vieux Grand Port to mark the first arrival of Chinese in Mauritius on 1 May 1654, thereby demonstrating once more the need for CDH in the country.
CDH is dedicated to keeping Chinese culture alive in Mauritius.
CDH needs the dedication of one and all.
Joseph Tsang Mang Kin
Chairman
Songkou was the meeting place where the emigrants from Meixian and other towns in Guangdong gathered after walking several days and nights or were brought there in
tiny boats. The place was famous for reviving the Hakka san-ko or mountain songs or hiding an Emperor’s son. Larger boats took the emigrants down the river to Swatow where they boarded the ships for Mauritius and beyond. With the old Immigration Office now housing a Hakka Museum along with renovated teahouses, Songkou is now a world tourist attraction
Vieux Grand Port is the place where the first Dutch landed and also the four Chinese captives they brought with them. Now we know the Chinese landed here on 1 May 1654, thanks to research work done by CDH. This little known chapter of our history is now remembered by a Plaque set up there with the help of the Ministry of Culture on 1 May 2014.
1.1 To provide the Chinese community (comprising Hakkas, Cantonese and Fukienese) and more especially its younger generations with a platform for contact, discussion, reflection and interaction on matters relating to the Chinese diaspora, heritage, culture, idioms and values.
1.2 To be a Centre for research and initiative on the Hakkas and all other Chinese linguistic groups in Mauritius and the South West Indian Ocean Region, and more particularly on the origins of their migration and their role in the economic, social and cultural advancement of Mauritius and the region.
1.3 To recognise the work and contribution of the Chinese emigrants toward the overall advancement of theirs countries of settlement and understanding between nations through, inter alia, celebrations, memorial lectures or the erection of commemorative plaques and steles in their honour.
1.4 To establish contacts and organize friendship tours with Chinese Associations with comparable objectives in the South West Indian Ocean Region and other parts of the World, and promote social, cultural, economic and trade links with them.
1.5 To be a Centre for the study of the various Diasporas from India, Africa and Europe with a view to building mutual understanding and mutual respect between the different communities of Mauritius and to preserving their shared values of work, toleration and human solidarity.
1.6 To accept donations by legacies from individuals and associations in Mauritius and abroad.
1.7 To buy, acquire and obtain an interest in any immoveable property for the furtherance of its objectives.
1.8 To do all such things and any other cognate activities that are conducive to the attainment of the above objects.
Ah-Kioon Kwet Khee Atow- 黄导琪
Chan Wan Thuen Clement- 陈锡超
Hung Wai Wing Mario- 熊仕中
Lam Shin Saw, Philipp- 林淡华
Lan Hing Leung, François- 刘增洪
Lee Hon Chong, André- 李 汉祥
Lim Fat, Amen- 林孟超
Ng Cheng Hin Charles- 吴谭奎
Ah-Kioon Kwet Khee Atow- 黄导琪
Chan Wan Thuen Clement- 陈锡超
Hung Wai Wing Mario- 熊仕中
Lam Shin Saw, Philipp- 林淡华
Lan Hing Leung, François- 刘增洪
Lee Hon Chong, André- 李 汉祥
Lim Fat, Amen- 林孟超
Ng Cheng Hin Charles- 吴谭奎
The Forgotten North South Silk Road
Chinese Presence in Mauritius
The Chinese in the Making of Mauritius
Chinese Diaspora in Mauritius
Chinese Culture in Mauritius
By Roland Tsang Kwai Kew
Si China Town m’était contée
Has been to all the major cities, namely New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Karachi & Hyderabad Established links with Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, and Museums and Science Centres in Delhi; Strategic meeting with top leaders of the Indian Film Industry: Partho Gosh, Subhas Ghai, Mahesh Batt; Brought Indian film makers to come and shoot movies in Mauritius, some 100 films per year; Former Director, Indian Film Company, (a Holllywood and Bollywood initiative), Delhi.
First visit to China in 1983 at the invitation of the Chinese Association for Friendship with African countries.
Toured Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Meixian. Has returned to China some 20 times.
Visiting Professor at the Hakka Institute of Jiaying University, Guangzhou;
Organiser and Keynote Speaker at 3rd World Chinese Conference, at Grand Bay Conference
Centre; Keynote Speaker at Second World Hakka Conference, Toronto University, Canada;
President of the Unesco Reunion & Mauritius Commission on Chinese Migration Memorial;
Head of Mauritian Delegation, to set-up of Memorial of Chinese Emigrants in Songkou, Guangzhou, China;
Has appeared in the following Chinese publications:
World Famous Chinese Writers and Artists, Beijing, March 1998,
Who’s Who of Chinese Origin Worldwide; World Chinese Press, Budapest, Hungary, 1999, Hakka Encyclopedia;
Consultant/Guwen 顾问 of the Chinese Overseas Exchanges Association , PRC State Council, Beijing;
Board Member, Chinese Overseas Association for the Promotion of Cultural Exchange, Meixian, China;
Guwan and Consultant 顾问Sichuan Overseas Exchanges Association, Chengdu.
Honorary President 名誉主席: Meizhou Returned Overseas Chinese Federation.
BRILLIANCE OF CHINA AWARD 2013 ZHONG HUA ZHI GUANG, 中华之光 – 2013
10 Eminent persons from China and the Diaspora were nominated from 300 candidates world-wide as ambassadors of Chinese
culture world-wide. The 8 people and 2 Institutions finally chosen included Nobel Prize Winner Mo Yan, Internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang etc. The Award ceremony was staged at CCTV-4 studios in Beijing and has been seen by a billion
viewers around the world.