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Chagossian creole

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Chagossian creole

Chagossian creole, also known as Chagossian Kreol, (also créole îlois, kreol Ilwa, or just Ilwa) is a French-based creole that was still spoken in 1994 by the 1,800 or so Chagossians, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Ilwa is a variety of Mauritian Creole with influences from Seychellois Creole. It is currently spoken mainly in Mauritius and the Seychelles. There is also a small minority community speaking the language in the United Kingdom.

Chagossian creole was developed on what would become the British Indian Ocean Territory, following the abolition of slavery within the British Empire as a way for the native Chagossians as well as the indentured Indian and Chinese labourers of the island to communicate. Chagossian creole also gained the shorthand name of "Zilois" as a result. Sega tambour Chagos dancing is performed including Chagossian creole singing, which originated from these workers.

Even after Chagossian removal from the British Indian Ocean Territory and their subsequent resettlement within the United Kingdom, Chagossian creole continued to be spoken by the Chagossians as a symbol of their culture and identity. This had occasionally led to conflict with the British, with some schools banning the use of Chagossian creole from their grounds. It has also been used as a language of protest, with it being featured by Chagossians protesting the proposal by the British government to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius without consulting them.

Papen, Robert A. 1978. The French-based Creoles of the Indian Ocean: An Analysis and Comparison. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of California, San Diego. University Microfilms International.

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