Interbreeding, Multi-membership, Creolity in Reunion Island
Reunion Island was originally inhabited. Initially deserted when its population from the second half of the 17th century, by Europeans and Malagasy and Indians, men (women are particularly minority) originating from East Africa, Asia, or Australia and Polynesia. During the first years of occupation of the island, marriages between people of the same origin were tolerated « provided that they were baptized ». The first children born on the island were « mixed », but then the Governor proclaimed « the ban on whites marrying black women » and « the prohibition of white women to have intercourse with blacks ». This edict was renewed three times without being acted upon by the people. This article aims to discuss the notions of hybridity, of multi-membership Creole and the Reunion Island. Our purpose is to examine, through a few examples, including traditional medicine, how the roots of Reunion people have developed, in some sense, the assertion of Creole in terms of mixing and cultural creation, a multi-membership that can be claimed (be Reunion and French, and more) or sometimes denied the benefit of choosing a single membership associated with supposed roots.