ConfusedMauritian.mu

It is no easy feat being Mauritian.  Joking aside, even though you are born in this country, from parents who are considered Mauritian, it is not really that obvious.  Citizenship means nothing in practice. Saying ‘I am a Mauritian’ is a bold statement, but incomplete.  You are then expected to define your ancestral roots until that recognizance sinks in. As ludicrous as it might seem, this bizarre state of affairs has been going on for years now and still, there are rigid mindsets which are reluctant to act, because that has been serving their ‘divide and rule’ purposes for years now.
Those who consider themselves solely as Mauritians are considered lunatics.  If you do not belong to the Hindu (with all the different sub-divisions), Muslim, Chinese or Population Generale category, you automatically become a misfit.  You have no past, no roots, no future.  Almost like a ghost hovering around. Till now, unless radical changes are introduced, stating one’s ethnic background has been a controversial requirement in many circumstances, especially if one wishes to stand as a candidate for the general elections or during the celebration of civil wedding ceremonies. 
Incidentally, though this remains a hushed matter, caste is more relevant than ever.  Hindus, for instance, cannot plead ignorance on the basis of caste. The caste system can be compared to an Oreo biscuit; it has its upper layer, middle one and lower one.  It is a dark, open secret for all, too taboo to be talked about but yet an acknowledged fact that brands people, just like cattle is branded with hot iron.  There it is! Since our birth on this august land, we have this invisible brand of ethnicity and/or caste firmly stamped on our backsides, defining who we are.  It is difficult for us to turn our heads for a proper view of our own backsides but so easy for others to check us out.  A nation of bums?
It is vital to give some serious thought to what being Mauritian entails.  Of course, people have the right to be proud of their ancestral lineage and maintain diasporic ties. However, many are now the products of mixed backgrounds, having been churned into the melting-pot nation of ours.  As such, it is complex to define one’s background with surgical precision; as hard as it is to separate the red, blue, yellow and green colours of our national flag once they have been thoroughly mixed. So, what happens to these people then? Tell them that they are idiotic outcasts? Idealistic dreamers in a fool’s paradise? Confusion confusion confusion!
So, really, there are many confused Mauritians walking around in the land of nowhere, with a big identity crisis balloon on top of their heads.  All that they want is to be given a choice, a voice…But will the Constitution-contributors heed and hear them? Till then, welcome to ConfusedMauritian.mu! It is such a thrilling pleasure, isn’t it?