Chagossians

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chagossians

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ethnic group designation?Chagossians (also Îlois or Chagos Islanders)
2. What is the historical settlement period?Late 18th century to 19th century
3. Who are the Chagossians?The Chagossians are people who live on the Chagos Archipelago. They come from a mix of African, Indian, and Malay backgrounds and have lived there since the late 18th century. They speak Chagossian Creole, a French-based language with African and Asian words.
4. Why were the Chagossians removed from their islands?The British government and the United States removed all Chagossians in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They did this so that the islands, especially Diego Garcia, could be used for a large joint military base.

Indigenous Peoples: The original inhabitants of a particular region or territory, with deep historical and cultural ties.
Geopolitics: The study of how geography influences politics and international relations.
Sovereignty: The supreme authority within a territory; the right to govern oneself.
Repatriation: The process of returning someone to their country of origin; in this context, the return of Chagossians to their homeland.