Anemon Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi

Öz

The Transatlantic Slave Trade, which refers to the transportation of millions of Africans by the Europeans from the 16th century to the 19th century, over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans under difficult conditions, to the Americas to be worked as slaves in various plantations, left deep pains on Africa. This period, called the colonial period, was influential in the realization of the British Century. In the colonial order, one of the most strategic regions of the empire on the Indian Ocean was the island of Mauritius. Acting as a supply and transit hub, the island also hosted the British Empire's Great Experiment, where the contract worker system was put to the test for the first time, as the colonial era ended and the transition to the postcolonial era. With these features, the island has an important heritage accumulation regarding the colonial period, the postcolonial period and the transition period between these two periods. The unique and mixed culture on the island, which was opened for use during the colonial period, has syncretic beliefs and creole language features. Today, this rich heritage accumulation on the island emerges as a value that has been taken under national and international protection. This study examines the island's specific periodic heritage accumulation and heritage preservation processes.