Writers & Artists
Literature
Mauritius is a country of poets, writers and artists, each inspired not only by the island’s stunning natural landscape, but also by its multicultural identity. It is to Mauritius that JMG Le Clézio – the 1998 Literature Nobel Prize winner – dedicated his prestigious award.
This small country shelters several other internationally recognised authors, too, including Malcolm de Chazal, Robert Edward Hart, Ananda Devi, Barlen Pyamootoo, Loys Masson, Edouard Maunick, Marcel Cabon, Abhimanyu Unnuth, Lindsey Collen, Natacha Appanah, Shenaz Patel, Dev Virahsawmy and Amal Sewtohul.
Poetry
Mauritius is as well-known for its poetry as it is for its literature. Two particularly fine examples of Mauritian poets include Camille de Rauville – a French language writer born in Rose Hill in 1910, whose work focused heavily on ideological humanism – and the latter-day Khal Torabully, who is perhaps best known for coining the phrase ‘coolitude’ and who writes predominantly about the ‘coming together’ of different cultures and histories.
Art & Artists
Sculptors and painters working in Mauritius include Devanand Bhungsee, Nirveda Alleck, Khalid Nazroo, Vaco Baissac, Amrita Dyalah, Nita Treeboobhun and Véronique Leclézio. Photographers such as Pierre Argo and Tibye Sobha sit alongside film-makers and video directors like David Constantin, Selven Naidu and Nazim Sookia. There are also several choreographers, including Anna Patten and Sanedip Bhimjee, and many famous musicians – past and present – including Ti Frère, Kaya, Menwar, the Bhojpuri Boys and Eric Triton. Each of these individuals help define the island’s unique culture.
