Orient and Ocean

Successive generations of migrants have made their way across the Indian Ocean from China to Seychelles. What has brought them to this remote group of islands and why have they stayed? Do the incomers regard themselves now as Seychellois or are they defined by their Chinese ancestry? Their story tells of hard work and achievement, of integration in the small island state but also pride in their original culture and traditions. Numbers in the community are not large but their presence adds to the multi-ethnic tapestry of Seychelles society. Far from fading with time, the opening in 2022 of a new pagoda in the heart of Victoria demonstrates an undying commitment to the past as well as the future. In the pagoda, as they have always done, people will come to meet each other, to learn of Chinese culture, to drink tea and to celebrate much-loved festivals.