Report on the conference “Eastern Africa and the Mascarenes: Historical Relations and the Search for Cultural Roots”
Held as part of the SLAFNET project (Slavery in Africa: a Dialogue between Europe and Africa), the conference “Eastern Africa and the Mascarenes: Historical Relations and the Search for Cultural Roots” by Prof. Vijaya Teelock, examined the historical links between Eastern Africa and the Mascarene Islands in the context of the Indian Ocean slave trade.
The talk revisited these historical connections, emphasizing the specificities of East African slavery and the societies that emerged from it. Prof. Vijaya traced back the origins of the Indian Ocean trade, what characterizes it, and what distinguishes it from the Atlantic slave trade. She highlighted the importance of the search for family origins and genealogical reconstruction. This also involved understanding the specificities of island histories and to challenge “parallel” histories, as well as issues of intercultural exchange, métissage, and creolization. Vijaya Teelock then raised the question of what kind of society emerged from this trade, exploring the process of becoming ‘Creole’ and understanding the diverse cultural roots (African, Asian, European) that contribute to a new definition of Creole/Kreol. Through varied examples, such as the notebooks of Froberville, musical partition archives, and genealogical projects, she posed questions on what determines Creole identity today and what establishes belonging. Thus, she highlighted the challenges of nation-building for the descendants of slaves today.
Dr. Herman Kiriama, who discussed the talk, focused on the notion of identity and questioned the elements used to construct it, such as music, tattoos, origins, and more. He asked whether it is possible to reconstruct an identity and how these different aspects interrelate, concluding that “there are so many aspects that we need to look at”.
The debate then expanded to reflect on how the heritage of slavery and colonial history intersects with current political systems. Central to the discussion was the intersection between slavery legacies, state formation, and Creole representation. This point remains highly relevant, given the ongoing underrepresentation of the Creole community in political bodies.
This discussion demonstrated that the consequences of slavery remain a current and necessary topic. The legacies of slavery continue to shape reflections on belonging, culture, and shared history in the region.
To go further, one of the ongoing projects supported by Prof. Vijaya is illustrated through a documentary that follows fieldwork in a Tanzanian coastal village, a place that preserves the memory of the French slave trade in the 18th century. https://youtu.be/rUAmVsIBAZ8?si=BFauxs4VTn9MFBGk
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
IFRA Nairobi (November 17, 2025). Report on the conference “Eastern Africa and the Mascarenes: Historical Relations and the Search for Cultural Roots” IFRA Nairobi. Retrieved February 16, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/155ui

