Mauritius leads Regional Dialogue on the Heritage of Indentured Labour in the Indian Ocean

The Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund, under the aegis of the Ministry of Arts and Culture, will organise a workshop on Indenture in the Indian Ocean from 27 to 29 May 2026 at Le Workspace by the Docks, Caudan, Port Louis.

Held under the theme "A Dialogue on the Heritage of Indentured Labour in the Indian Ocean", the workshop marks an important step towards building a structured regional dialogue on how the heritage of indentured labour can be better documented, interpreted, protected and transmitted across the Indian Ocean region.

Participants from several countries and territories of the Indian Ocean, along with Mauritian heritage professionals, institutional representatives and technical officers, are expected to attend the event. The workshop will further consolidate Mauritius’ role as a regional platform for cultural dialogue, heritage cooperation and cultural diplomacy.

The history of indentured labour represents one of the major movements of people across the Indian Ocean during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Following the abolition of slavery, indentured labour became closely linked to the transformation of colonial societies, plantation economies, port cities and migrant communities. Behind this history are the journeys of men, women and families whose experiences continue to shape identities, traditions, memories and cultural practices across the Indian Ocean world. The legacy of indentured labour can still be seen today in family histories, languages, religious practices, foodways, settlement patterns and community memory.

Mauritius occupies a central place in this history through the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Property, which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its direct association with the global indenture system. As a place linked to the arrival of indentured labourers in Mauritius, Aapravasi Ghat provides a powerful point of departure for a wider regional conversation on movement, labour, health, control, memory, settlement and cultural transformation.

The workshop will provide a platform to strengthen understanding of indentured labour heritage, share experiences from different countries and territories, and identify common priorities for research, documentation and interpretation. Discussions will focus on archives, heritage sites, museums, oral histories, community memory, public awareness, capacity building and possible longterm cooperation among institutions in the Indian Ocean region.

The initiative seeks to move beyond commemoration by encouraging a forward-looking regional process. One of the expected outcomes is the identification of proposed elements for a regional roadmap on the heritage of indentured labour in the Indian Ocean. This roadmap may support future collaboration in research, documentation, heritage management, interpretation, education, institutional networking and cultural cooperation.

Through this workshop, Mauritius aims to position the Aapravasi Ghat not only as a World Heritage Property, but also as a regional reference point for understanding a wider Indian Ocean history that connects people, places and memories across borders.

25 May 2026

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Topics: Culture