Franco-Réunionnais

Franco-RéunionnaiseFact|date=June 2008 are people of French origin living in RéunionFact|date=June 2008.

Origins

French people started settling the island in 1665. [ [http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Reunion-Island.html Culture of REUNION ISLAND] ] The first wave of settlers were colonists looking to make money. The next wave were mostly poorer people looking for new lives abroad. The French didn't take long to adapt and became the primary influence of Réunion.

Franco-Réunionnais Today

The Franco-Réunionnais, white islanders of European originFact|date=June 2008, [ [http://www.lvlr.net/crocvl/2006/html/reunion_island.html Réunion Island] ] today make up approximately one-quarter of the population. [ [http://advan.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/248 La Reunion's population] ] [ [http://www.iocp.info/articles/The%20Creole%20Diaspora%20in%20Australia.htm What constitutes the main aspects of the Creole Culture?] ] Franco-Réunionnais are the most dominant in politics.Fact|date=September 2007 Their standards of living range from very low (often "petit blanc") to very high (often "gros blanc") and, unlike Mauritius, can be found almost everywhere.

Demographic factors

The Franco-Réunionnais can be divided into three groups. The first are those who have been in Reunion for generations as part of a poor and pervasive class and are called "petit blanc" or "yab". The second group, "gros blanc", represent descendants of the old landowner colonist population and is the most wealthy group on the island. Both groups are Creoles. [ [http://reunion.rfo.fr/imprimer.php3?id_article=15 Petite histoire] ] Finally, those who have just arrived or have been in Reunion for a short period are called "Metro" French or "Zoreil".

References