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Chinese people in Réunion

May 03, 2024

Chinois, also referred to by the Réunion Creole name Sinwa or Sinoi, are ethnic Chinese residing in Réunion, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean.[5][6] As of 2000,[7] roughly 25,000 or more lived on the island, making them one of the region's largest Chinese communities along with Chinese South Africans, Chinese people in Madagascar, and Sino-Mauritians.[8][9]

Chinois
Total population
25,000 or more (2000)[1]
Languages
French, Réunion Creole; Chinese (predominantly Hakka and Cantonese) spoken only by members of older generations[2]
Religion
Roman Catholicism · Mahayana Buddhism[3]
Related ethnic groups
Sino-Mauritians[4]

Migration history edit

Despite their French citizenship, the Chinois form a group with origins distinct from the Chinese in metropolitan France.[6] The first Chinese to arrive in Réunion came not directly from China, but rather were indentured labourers drawn from among the population of Chinese in Malaya, who arrived on the island in 1844 to work in grain production and levee-building. They violently resisted the slave-like manner in which they were treated, and as a result, the colonial government put a stop to the immigration of Chinese indentured labourers just two years later.[10]

Beginning in the 1850s, Cantonese-speakers began to arrive from Mauritius.[11] It was common for a Sino-Mauritian to bring his relatives over from China to Mauritius for a period of apprenticeship in his business; after they had gained sufficient familiarity with commercial practises and life in a colonial society, he would send them onwards with letters of introduction, lending them his own capital to start up businesses in neighbouring regions, including Réunion.[4] Hakka-speakers from Mauritius came as well in this manner starting only in the late 1880s.[12]

However, re-migration from Mauritius was not the only source of free Chinese migration to Réunion. In 1862, Réunion's government liberalised their immigration laws, allowing any foreigner to take up employment. Each year, a few hundred Cantonese-speaking migrants from Guangdong took advantage of this law and arrived in Réunion.[11] Hakkas from Meixian and French Indochina began to arrive around the same time as those from Mauritius, in the late 1880s. As in other overseas Chinese communities, conflict between Cantonese- and Hakka-speakers was a common feature of social life, and the two groups tried to avoid contact with each other. The Hakka migrants settled in the south of the island, especially at Saint-Pierre and Le Tampon.[12] Re-migration from Mauritius to Réunion continued in this manner until around 1940.[4] Migrants were almost all male; until the late 1930s or early 1940s, fewer than one thousand had arrived on the island.[13]

After World War II, metropolitan French immigration laws were extended to cover Réunion. Along with the closure of China's borders in 1950, this meant that Chinese migration to the island largely came to a halt.[11] By that time, the Chinese population of the island was roughly four thousand.[14] Today's Chinois consist largely of their descendants.[11] However, roughly 2,000 more new expatriates have come from the People's Republic of China in recent years.[15]

Language and education edit

The first Chinese school in Réunion was set up at Saint-Denis in 1927, but closed three years later when the teacher returned to China. In the following decade, more schools were set up privately, financed by contributions from Chinese businessmen.[16] Prior to the 1950s, locally-born ethnic Chinese children typically attended these Chinese schools, and as a result, they spoke both Chinese and Creole fluently, but not French.[2] However, authorities looked dimly on such schools, seeing them as promoting cultural separatism, and so imposed a variety of regulations on their operation, requiring that they spend more time on French-language teaching than Chinese-language teaching. As a result, new bilingual schools were established, the two most famous of which were the ones at Saint-Denis and Saint-André.[16]

After World War II, education in French schools became mandatory.[16] As a result, the generation who entered school after then typically spoke little Chinese; however, many of them went to metropolitan France for their higher education, and as a result, speak both French and Creole fluently.[17] In an effort to "return to their roots", members of this generation and the younger ones have been attempting to reconnect to Chinese culture through cultural and language courses, return trips to their ancestors' villages in China, and the like.[18] However, they are largely assimilated into French and Creole culture, and feel little connection to today's China, which has undergone huge changes since their ancestors emigrated.[18]

Employment edit

The immigrant generation, as well their children who were educated locally in Chinese schools, often found self-employment as shopkeepers; in the 1970s, with rising standards of living on the island, they were able to expand their small shops into spacious markets.[17] Their children, who were educated in France, have entered the liberal professions, such as medicine, dentistry, law, and architecture, or found employment in accountancy and engineering firms or the public sector.[19]

Cuisine edit

Chinese cuisine is now consumed by people all over Réunion. One of the most visible culinary legacies of South China are bouchons, known as shumai in North American dim sum restaurants. Pork bouchons are commonly eaten in baguettes and paninis with melted cheese and hotsauce. Riz cantonais, a basic fried rice with diced vegetables and roasted pork, is another common dish. Chinese migrants also introduced a number of different plants and animals to the island, including a Chinese variety of the guava known locally and in Mauritius and the Seychelles as goyave de Chine.[citation needed] Réunion is famous for its lychees, also from China.

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Réunion Statistics". Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Réunion". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2021.
  2. ^ a b Yu-Sion 2003, ¶15
  3. ^ Medea 2002
  4. ^ a b c Yap & Leong Man 1996, p. 37
  5. ^ Yu-Sion 2003, ¶1
  6. ^ a b Yu-Sion 2007, p. 234
  7. ^ "Réunion statistics". Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Réunion." Encyclopedia Britannica, September 22, 2021. 2000.
  8. ^ Chinese Language Educational Foundation 1999
  9. ^ "My China Roots".
  10. ^ Yu-Sion 2003, ¶5
  11. ^ a b c d Yu-Sion 2003, ¶8
  12. ^ a b Yu-Sion 2003, ¶10
  13. ^ Yu-Sion 2003, ¶12
  14. ^ Yu-Sion 2003, ¶11
  15. ^ Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs 2007
  16. ^ a b c Yu-Sion 2003, ¶23
  17. ^ a b Yu-Sion 2003, ¶16
  18. ^ a b Yu-Sion 2003, ¶16, 28
  19. ^ Yu-Sion 2003, ¶17

Sources edit

  • Yu-Sion, Live (July–August 2003), "Illusion identitaire et métissage culturel chez les "Sinoi" de la Réunion", Perspectives Chinoises, 2003 (78), ISSN 1021-9013, retrieved 2008-11-01
  • Medea, Laurent (2002), "Creolisation and Globalisation in a Neo-Colonial Context: the Case of Réunion", Social Identities, 8 (1): 125–141, doi:10.1080/13504630220132053, S2CID 145370724
  • Yu-Sion, Live (2007), "The Sinwa of Reunion: searching for a Chinese identity in a multicultural world", in Thuno, Mette (ed.), Beyond Chinatown: New Chinese Migration and the Global Expansion of China, Copenhagen: NIAS Press, ISBN 978-87-7694-000-3
  • Yap, Melanie; Leong Man, Dianne (1996), Colour, Confusion, and Concessions: The History of the Chinese in South Africa, Hong Kong University Press, ISBN 978-962-209-424-6
  • Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs (2007-04-20), "非洲华人华侨简况 (Status of overseas Chinese and Chinese expatriate populations in Africa)", Dongguan City Government Portal, retrieved 2008-10-30[permanent dead link]
  • Chinese Language Educational Foundation (1999), , Overseas Chinese Net, archived from the original on 2006-12-31, retrieved 2008-10-30

Further reading edit

  • Fane, Ly-Tio (1985), La Diaspora chinoise dans l'Ocean Indien occidental (The Chinese Diaspora in the western Indian Ocean), Mauritius: Editions de l'Ocean Indien
  • Kiefer, Chantal (2006), Die Entwicklung der chinesischen Diaspora auf Réunion, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

May 03, 2024
chinese, people, réunion, chinois, also, referred, réunion, creole, name, sinwa, sinoi, ethnic, chinese, residing, réunion, french, overseas, department, indian, ocean, 2000, roughly, more, lived, island, making, them, region, largest, chinese, communities, al. Chinois also referred to by the Reunion Creole name Sinwa or Sinoi are ethnic Chinese residing in Reunion a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean 5 6 As of 2000 7 roughly 25 000 or more lived on the island making them one of the region s largest Chinese communities along with Chinese South Africans Chinese people in Madagascar and Sino Mauritians 8 9 ChinoisTotal population25 000 or more 2000 1 LanguagesFrench Reunion Creole Chinese predominantly Hakka and Cantonese spoken only by members of older generations 2 ReligionRoman Catholicism Mahayana Buddhism 3 Related ethnic groupsSino Mauritians 4 Contents 1 Migration history 2 Language and education 3 Employment 4 Cuisine 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Sources 6 Further readingMigration history editDespite their French citizenship the Chinois form a group with origins distinct from the Chinese in metropolitan France 6 The first Chinese to arrive in Reunion came not directly from China but rather were indentured labourers drawn from among the population of Chinese in Malaya who arrived on the island in 1844 to work in grain production and levee building They violently resisted the slave like manner in which they were treated and as a result the colonial government put a stop to the immigration of Chinese indentured labourers just two years later 10 Beginning in the 1850s Cantonese speakers began to arrive from Mauritius 11 It was common for a Sino Mauritian to bring his relatives over from China to Mauritius for a period of apprenticeship in his business after they had gained sufficient familiarity with commercial practises and life in a colonial society he would send them onwards with letters of introduction lending them his own capital to start up businesses in neighbouring regions including Reunion 4 Hakka speakers from Mauritius came as well in this manner starting only in the late 1880s 12 However re migration from Mauritius was not the only source of free Chinese migration to Reunion In 1862 Reunion s government liberalised their immigration laws allowing any foreigner to take up employment Each year a few hundred Cantonese speaking migrants from Guangdong took advantage of this law and arrived in Reunion 11 Hakkas from Meixian and French Indochina began to arrive around the same time as those from Mauritius in the late 1880s As in other overseas Chinese communities conflict between Cantonese and Hakka speakers was a common feature of social life and the two groups tried to avoid contact with each other The Hakka migrants settled in the south of the island especially at Saint Pierre and Le Tampon 12 Re migration from Mauritius to Reunion continued in this manner until around 1940 4 Migrants were almost all male until the late 1930s or early 1940s fewer than one thousand had arrived on the island 13 After World War II metropolitan French immigration laws were extended to cover Reunion Along with the closure of China s borders in 1950 this meant that Chinese migration to the island largely came to a halt 11 By that time the Chinese population of the island was roughly four thousand 14 Today s Chinois consist largely of their descendants 11 However roughly 2 000 more new expatriates have come from the People s Republic of China in recent years 15 Language and education editThe first Chinese school in Reunion was set up at Saint Denis in 1927 but closed three years later when the teacher returned to China In the following decade more schools were set up privately financed by contributions from Chinese businessmen 16 Prior to the 1950s locally born ethnic Chinese children typically attended these Chinese schools and as a result they spoke both Chinese and Creole fluently but not French 2 However authorities looked dimly on such schools seeing them as promoting cultural separatism and so imposed a variety of regulations on their operation requiring that they spend more time on French language teaching than Chinese language teaching As a result new bilingual schools were established the two most famous of which were the ones at Saint Denis and Saint Andre 16 After World War II education in French schools became mandatory 16 As a result the generation who entered school after then typically spoke little Chinese however many of them went to metropolitan France for their higher education and as a result speak both French and Creole fluently 17 In an effort to return to their roots members of this generation and the younger ones have been attempting to reconnect to Chinese culture through cultural and language courses return trips to their ancestors villages in China and the like 18 However they are largely assimilated into French and Creole culture and feel little connection to today s China which has undergone huge changes since their ancestors emigrated 18 Employment editThe immigrant generation as well their children who were educated locally in Chinese schools often found self employment as shopkeepers in the 1970s with rising standards of living on the island they were able to expand their small shops into spacious markets 17 Their children who were educated in France have entered the liberal professions such as medicine dentistry law and architecture or found employment in accountancy and engineering firms or the public sector 19 Cuisine editChinese cuisine is now consumed by people all over Reunion One of the most visible culinary legacies of South China are bouchons known as shumai in North American dim sum restaurants Pork bouchons are commonly eaten in baguettes and paninis with melted cheese and hotsauce Riz cantonais a basic fried rice with diced vegetables and roasted pork is another common dish Chinese migrants also introduced a number of different plants and animals to the island including a Chinese variety of the guava known locally and in Mauritius and the Seychelles as goyave de Chine citation needed Reunion is famous for its lychees also from China References editNotes edit Reunion Statistics Britannica The Editors of Encyclopaedia Reunion Encyclopedia Britannica 22 Sep 2021 a b Yu Sion 2003 15 Medea 2002 a b c Yap amp Leong Man 1996 p 37 Yu Sion 2003 1 a b Yu Sion 2007 p 234 Reunion statistics Britannica T Editors of Encyclopaedia Reunion Encyclopedia Britannica September 22 2021 2000 Chinese Language Educational Foundation 1999 My China Roots Yu Sion 2003 5 a b c d Yu Sion 2003 8 a b Yu Sion 2003 10 Yu Sion 2003 12 Yu Sion 2003 11 Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs 2007 a b c Yu Sion 2003 23 a b Yu Sion 2003 16 a b Yu Sion 2003 16 28 Yu Sion 2003 17 Sources edit Yu Sion Live July August 2003 Illusion identitaire et metissage culturel chez les Sinoi de la Reunion Perspectives Chinoises 2003 78 ISSN 1021 9013 retrieved 2008 11 01 Medea Laurent 2002 Creolisation and Globalisation in a Neo Colonial Context the Case of Reunion Social Identities 8 1 125 141 doi 10 1080 13504630220132053 S2CID 145370724 Yu Sion Live 2007 The Sinwa of Reunion searching for a Chinese identity in a multicultural world in Thuno Mette ed Beyond Chinatown New Chinese Migration and the Global Expansion of China Copenhagen NIAS Press ISBN 978 87 7694 000 3 Yap Melanie Leong Man Dianne 1996 Colour Confusion and Concessions The History of the Chinese in South Africa Hong Kong University Press ISBN 978 962 209 424 6 Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs 2007 04 20 非洲华人华侨简况 Status of overseas Chinese and Chinese expatriate populations in Africa Dongguan City Government Portal retrieved 2008 10 30 permanent dead link Chinese Language Educational Foundation 1999 1999年底非洲国家和地区华侨 华人人口数 1999 year end statistics on Chinese expatriate and overseas Chinese population numbers in African countries and territories Overseas Chinese Net archived from the original on 2006 12 31 retrieved 2008 10 30Further reading edit nbsp China portal nbsp France portal nbsp Africa portal Fane Ly Tio 1985 La Diaspora chinoise dans l Ocean Indien occidental The Chinese Diaspora in the western Indian Ocean Mauritius Editions de l Ocean Indien Kiefer Chantal 2006 Die Entwicklung der chinesischen Diaspora auf Reunion Johannes Gutenberg Universitat Mainz Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chinese people in Reunion amp oldid 1189108187, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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