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Early Colonization & Independence
Seychelles is a relatively young country in comparison to many nations around the globe, not experiencing settlement until the mid 18th century. Though the islands were visited by traders, explorers, and pirates as early as the 16th century, it wasn't until the French colonized and took control of the islands in 1756 that they received permanent residents (1). Named in honor of French politician Jean Moreau de Séchelles, the majority of the settlers colonized the largest island of Mahé and were accompanied by East African slaves. The French depended on the free plantation labor that slavery provided to fuel their agricultural economy, with major crop exports including vanilla and cinnamon. The islands were later seized by the British, who took full possession of the colony under the Treaty of Paris in 1814 (2). Slavery was officially abolished from Seychelles by the British in 1835, initiating an influx of Chinese and Indian immigrant laborers. It wasn't until June 29, 1976 that Seychelles received independence from Britain (3).
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Ethnicity, Language, & Religion
Today, over 86% of Seychelles' population of 93,000 live on the largest granitic island, Mahé (4).The main island harbors the nation's capital city of Victoria, and is the country's social, political, and economic center. However, small populations of Seychellois also reside on the neighboring islands of Praslin and La Digue. Because of the islands' long history of immigration and intermarriage, nearly 70% of the population is of mixed race, and are descendants of early European, African, and Asian settlers (5). The nation's dominant language is Seychellois Creole (a French-based creole dialect), but both French and English are also official languages and are widely spoken throughout the islands. European influence is also reflected in the religious beliefs of the country, as the majority of the population practices Roman Catholicism. Although most of the residents are Catholic, Hinduism is practiced by about 2.4% of the population and can be symbolized by the beautiful Arulmigu Navasakti Vinayagar Temple that stands in the center of Victoria (6). Though there is no indigenous culture, the Seychelles islands are a multi-ethnic melting pot of languages, races, cultures and traditions. Each year, thousands of residents gather in Victoria to celebrate their diverse mix of ethnicities in a street festival known as ‘Carnaval International de Victoria'. The festival symbolizes the presence of Creole, Indian, and European cultures represented through dress, music, and dance.
Sources
1. "The National Assembly of Seychelles." Our History. Web. 25 May 2016. <http://www.nationalassembly.sc/NAS/index.php? option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=53>.
2. "Seychelles - History." History. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Seychelles-HISTORY.html>.
3. "1976: The Beautiful Seychelles Were Named after French Minister of Finance." Historyinfo. 29 June 2015. Web. 20 May 2016. <http://history.info/on-this-day/1976-the-beautiful-seychelles-were-named-after-french-minister-of-finance/>.
4. Seychelles: Post-tsunami Environmental Assessment. Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Environment Programme, 2005. 10. Print.
5. Infoplease. Infoplease, Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855617.html>.
6. "The World Factbook: Seychelles." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, 06 May 2016. Web. 25 May 2016. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/se.html>.
2. "Seychelles - History." History. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Seychelles-HISTORY.html>.
3. "1976: The Beautiful Seychelles Were Named after French Minister of Finance." Historyinfo. 29 June 2015. Web. 20 May 2016. <http://history.info/on-this-day/1976-the-beautiful-seychelles-were-named-after-french-minister-of-finance/>.
4. Seychelles: Post-tsunami Environmental Assessment. Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Environment Programme, 2005. 10. Print.
5. Infoplease. Infoplease, Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855617.html>.
6. "The World Factbook: Seychelles." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, 06 May 2016. Web. 25 May 2016. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/se.html>.