Calorifer – Four – Oven
Many people cut coconut and put it in a basket and put it in the calorifer and put also in the machine. Three donkeys turn the machine to have coconut oil.
In the kindergarden all children of different ages. The kindergarden open at 7 o’clock and at 12 o’clock every mother must come to take their children.
There are also labatie – people who come for cutting grass.
Many people who live in Chagos when they are ill, they drink la tisane. Natural because the doctor was not here at all times. They live in harmony and share everything they received with others. Sometimes they put the rice on fire and go to the sea to catch fish to eat. Sometimes they put breadfruit in the fire to eat. They also make cake with the egg of bird because they have many birds on the islands.
When they lost Diego Garcia they did not receive the visit of any doctor and the school also was shut down. Many children cannot read or write. Sometimes many people who live in Mauritius and their children who live in England cannot have money to pay a ticket to go there.
Objects in the box
1 A saw – The saw reminds me of my father who used it to provide for his children. (Gisèle)
2 A fishing rod – My father was a fisherman and his fishing rod was still there (Mélanie)
3 An iron- We kept the iron in memory of Diego. (Monette)
4 A coffer – The coffer is from Diego. When my mother was deported, she gave it to me as a souvenir.
Ball for baka
The baka is an alcoholic drink that Chagossians particularly enjoy. It is made from dry grains (usually lentils or dholl).
A grater
Musical instrument for the sega (Bomme )
The bomme, bobre, bob or bom is a musical instrument used for the sega.
Mac à la peau
-This is a frenchified spelling of the name of a musical instrument, the makalapo. Follow the link below for a demonstration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoK4PYMg70M
Zeze
– This also refers to a musical instrument.
If I could take a few things to bring back with me as mementos.
1 A coconut grater
2 A baka ball
3 A “bomme” for the sega
4 Zeze
– probably another spelling for the zeze, a musical instrument previously mentioned
5 Makalapo
6 Couteau décoké
– a knife, probably a knife used to cut open coconuts
7 A piké –
– piké is a tool used to cut coconuts
8 the happiness of living as a family
9 A straw house
10 The church bell
11 A table
Summary of Some of the Declarations Made by Chagossian People
Melanie, Madeline, Liseby, Roseline, Maudea, Mimose
It was remembered that in the Chagos Islands school and kindergarten were open to students from 12.00 to 14.30. It could be recalled that the small kids were taught how to spell out T – I, TI, T-I-T-I, T-O, TO, T- O -T-O, TOTO. One day, onwards, to the surprise of all, teachers were no more present at school. It was said that the Chagos islands would be sold. The senior students were then made to work in the coconut industry. One of the things that is deeply regretful to the Chagossians was they were deprived from access to education. They ended up illiterate.
The travel of Chagossians from their native country to their new destination was made in terrible conditions. It was even reported that a pregnant woman even lost her baby. When later the Chagossians landed in Mauritius, life was very hard. The fact that they could not read and write made them dependent on others. They could never have any correspondence undisclosed. Life in Mauritius was absolutely different from what they lived on their native island. Worse, life in Mauritius was far from being the one which was promised to them before they left their initial lands. No assistance was given to them, no consideration, no welcome, no kind hands to receive them. They were simply dumped in slums. Some were given houses that was used to shelter goats. They were given all types of nicknames to further downgrade and humiliate them. ‘Kayoko’ and ‘Zillois’ were some of the downgrading nicknames given to the newcomers. Mauritians did not like their visitors. For Mauritians the arrival of new people from Chagos was more of a problem than an opportunity to come to help people in need. Mauritians felt that Chagossian people would take all their jobs and were the cause of some of their problems.
Some Chagossian girls worked as housewives and attendants for Mauritians. Many later claimed that they were abused and even raped by their employers. But in such a situation of misery, destitute, and shame they did not dare reporting the matter.
These are some of the reasons that pushed them to ultimately go for hunger strike in the capital of the country. The Mauritian authorities responded by sending special units of the police force to use physical violence to intimidate them to quickly put an end to their strike. Many Chagossians, after being hit by the policemen, later found themselves in jail.
This situation finally sensitized some journalists who then started to investigate their fight.