Mauritian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Its people have roots in India, Africa, China and France, and they speak Mauritian Creole, French and English. Many Mauritians came to Britain in the 1960s and 1970s to train and work as nurses.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 440 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Mauritian, Seychellois, Maldivian, Sao Tomean or St Helenian. The census counts several island communities together, and Mauritians make up a large part of that figure.

Working for Birmingham

Mauritian nurses and healthcare workers have served the NHS for decades, and many of their children and grandchildren now work in medicine, teaching, finance and business. Mauritians are known for being multilingual and for their warm, hard-working approach to their jobs.

Every community that has settled in Birmingham has helped to shape it. Newcomers have filled gaps in the workforce, opened shops and restaurants, and raised children who have gone on to become the city's doctors, teachers, engineers and entrepreneurs. The Mauritian community is part of that tradition of hard work and ambition, and of the city's own motto: Forward.

Culture and community life

Sega music and dance, recognised by UNESCO, are the heartbeat of Mauritian celebrations. Dholl puri, a flatbread filled with split peas, and rougaille, a tomato-based stew, are favourites. Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Chinese festivals are all celebrated, reflecting the island's rich mix of cultures.

The story of the Mauritian community in Birmingham is still being written, by students, workers, parents and pensioners who call the city home. It is a story of hard work, friendship and quiet pride, and Birmingham is richer for it.