Mauritius hosts international conference on indentured labour

Mauritius will host the Indentured Labour Route Project (ILRP) Academic Conference from 13 to 15 May 2026 at the University of Mauritius in Réduit under the theme “The Indentured Labour Route at the Crossroads: Imagining New Futures for the Global Diaspora.” The three-day international gathering will bring together scholars, policymakers, cultural practitioners, researchers, historians, students, and members of the public from across the globe to examine the history, legacy, and future directions of indentured labour studies.

The event is organised at the initiative of the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund, host of the Secretariat of the ILRP under the aegis of the Ministry of Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius, the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, the Centre for Research on Slavery and Indenture, and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, France.

The conference aims to promote critical research and strengthen global engagement on indentured labour by linking historical experiences with contemporary legacies and future research directions across the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. It will also chalk out a roadmap for the next five to ten years of research in the field, while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among academics, governments, community leaders, and international partners.

Indentured migration remains a major feature of labour mobility in the history of the Indian Ocean and the wider colonial plantation world during the 19th and early 20th centuries. However, despite its global significance, the history of indenture continues to be under-researched in world history studies. The conference therefore seeks to promote wider dissemination of knowledge on indentured labour and integrate the subject fully into international academic scholarship.

Among the highlights of the conference are presentations of new research from the global diaspora, roundtable discussions, heritage and identity sessions, visual media and storytelling activities, and the soft launch of the Indentured Labour Route database. A special screening of the documentary “WHO AM I” followed by discussions on heritage, memory, and identity will also feature in the programme.

The opening day, on Wednesday 13 May, will focus on systems, structures, and histories of indenture. The programme includes a keynote lecture by the outgoing President of the International Scientific Committee of the ILRP, Dr Maurits Hassankhan, titled “Indenture at the Crossroads: Reframing Histories, Reconnecting Diasporas, and Shaping Global Futures.” Several academic sessions will explore themes such as heritage, archaeology, labour migration, colonial systems, cultural memory, resistance, and artistic expressions of indenture across Mauritius, India, South Africa, Suriname, Seychelles, Saint Lucia, and other regions.

On the following day, discussions will centre on lived experiences, identity, and community within the indentured diaspora. A tribute session honouring prominent historians of indenture, including Brij V. Lal and Brinsley Samaroo, will be held, while presentations will address issues such as gender, religion, migration, diaspora identity, and everyday life in post-indenture societies. The programme also comprises the screening of a documentary produced by Dr Suchi Gupta and a strategic roundtable on the development of the ILRP database and archival integration.

The final leg of the conference, Friday 15 May, will examine research methodologies, memory, and future directions in indenture studies. Sessions will address labour systems, social regulation, intergenerational trauma, reparations, digital archives, cultural reclamation, and public awareness initiatives linked to indentured labour history. A concluding roundtable on creative memory, storytelling, music, sport, and art in diaspora communities is scheduled.

According to organisers, the conference will provide a platform to bolster historical and contemporary linkages between indenture experiences in different parts of the world. It also aims at stimulating new international partnerships and policy engagement aligned with UNESCO initiatives. The event is also expected to expand public understanding of migration, resilience, identity, and the enduring legacy of indentured labour in shaping global diasporic communities.

12 May 2026

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Topics: Culture