ABOUT US

RSCV members on a cruise ship in the Pacific ocean.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSES

• To promote the Rodriguan culture and traditions to all member irrespective of creed, class or colour within the Mulgrave/Dandenong area, it's neighbouring suburbs and Victoria, wherever possible.
  
• To provide recreational, cultural & social opportunities as well as entertainment for members.
• To provide a caring & supportive environment.
• To organise activities that provide members with information which may increase & Support quality lifestyle options.
  To promote cultural exchange amongst other ethnic groups in Australia.
  To promote goodwill amongst club members & other clubs around Victoria.
• To provide a locale for the Rodriguan community.>
  

The Club aims at promoting the Rodriguan Culture in Victoria and also to facilitate "Rencontres" with our fellow members which currently comprise of a total of 405. Over the past years the club has, no doubt achieved an enormous growth. We have shown Victorians our beautiful and colourful culture. The club is very active and we organise a lot of events during the year.

Our main annual events are:

Fancy Fair. We normally hold our Fancy-Fair during the month of December to coincide with the visit of our friends from overseas. It's certainly a good opportunity for everyone to meet, enjoy a few drinks and our traditional food and also having a good time "cause causé".

Cultural Night. The club aims at promoting/exchanging our culture amongst other communities in Victoria. Having this in mind, we all look forward to our Annual Cultural Night where a display of the Rodriguan Craft is organized. Every family will bring a traditional dish to share. Club members of different age group and other ethnics groups perform in a floorshow of traditional dances. Being so colorful and entertaining, this night has always been a success. It is really a night not to be missed. We always ensure that the Victorian Minister of Ethnic Affairs, the Mauritian Ambassador and the Mauritian Consulate are invited. We are sure that some of you can now dance the Filipino or the Cook Island traditional dance.

Sports Day. During our annual sport day we provide activities for all ages.  Traditional food and drinks on sale for all to enjoy. We group all members into 4 teams, carrying our Motherland flag: colours Blue, Red, Yellow and Green and we have a friendly competition among ourselves. I am sure you will recall the famous "Pillow fight" "Enfil di fil" race and no doubt the soccer game as well.

Tropical Dance.This dance is organised to farewell all the visitors and to wish them all the best back home. It is also a night for all attending, to wear their tropical colourful outfits.

Anniversary. This Special Event starts with a Thanksgiving Mass followed by a dinner dance and a spectacular floor show performed by some talented members of the club. Members are encouraged to provide us with new ideas so it can always be a success.

Christmas Party. Christmas is a time of sharing and to reflect on the Birth anniversary of Our Lord Jesus. The club holds a special function for members and also for visitors from other states and overseas.The kids are not forgotten as Santa makes hisappearance and distribute gifts to all of them.The adults also have a good time first with their songs in the choir, then dance the night away.

Outings. The club organises outing for all the members during the year and among the the regulars are Casino trips, picnics, pilgrimage trips. Tours to Gold Coast have done twice, Pacific cruise, and Tasmania. Members are welcome to suggest any other place of interest.

The forthcoming one is a visit to the Monastery of our Lady in Berrima, NSW.

(Photos for the above events can be viewed in the RSCV gallery .)

Social Gatherings. We have social gatherings every five weeks and this is an opportunity to come to the club and meet our fellow members.  You can have dinner at the club or simply come in for a game of cards, dominos, bingo, sing-along and dances.As described above, the club is very active and we ask you support the club in all the activities and remember that:

"Together We Create A Better Family". May the good Lord Bless us All!

The history of the club

Mr. Jean Claude Allas, Mr. Leo Grancourt, Mr. Serge Collet, Ms. Danielle Plaiche, Mr. Hughes Roussety and Mr. Luc Limock.

The RSCV was incorporated on the twenty-seventh of July 1995 by Mr. Francis Raffaut at its official address, 34 Atherton Road, Oakleigh, the offices of Plaiche Technologies Ltd. Ms. Danielle Plaiche was elected the first President of the club and her first committee comprised of Mr. Wally Goodsir, Mr. Barnabe Francois, Mr. Simon Templin, Mr. Herve Castel, Ms. Corinne Francois, Mr. Francis Raffaut, Mr. Claude Lamvohee, Mr. Hughes Roussety, Mr. Luc Limock and Mr. Daniel Plaiche.

1995 was a watershed for the Rodriguan community in Melbourne. The RSCV came into being just as Australia herself was trying to redefine her identity. Multiculturalism became part of the then Prime Minister Paul Keating's 'big picture' policy. The demise of the White Australia policy under the Whitlam government in 1974 resulted into the re-making of Australia as a multicultural country.

The Emergence of Rodriguanism

The emergence of Rodriguanism saw its debut in 1984. Mr. Maurice Roussety became the first Rodriguan President of the Rodriguan and Mauritian Social Club INC. (RAMS Club). The RAMS Club is unknown to many, but it is worth highlighted because it exemplifies the Rodriguan's initiative and the emergence of Rodriguanism in Australia. The RAMS Club only lasted two years.

The Rodriguan community suffered for long from the 'creole syndrome' - a killer disease triggered by jealousy and gossips. All attempts were made to unite the community but the creole disease was too contagious that it prevented any occurrence. Many groups have tried to get together but on every occasion they failed because of a lack of leadership and vision.

In the absence of a formal Rodriguan structure, it was Mr. Leo Grancourt who took the initiative to promote the cohesion of the Rodriguan community in Melbourne. It was him who sparked the Rodriguan locomotion. He organised functions and 'get togethers' for the community. Mr. Leo Grancourt's patriotism is reflected in the numerous songs that he produced based on the Rodriguan culture. In fact, his name is synonymous with Rodriguanism.

Rodriguanism was taken to a height with the 1996 visit of Mr. Doyal Edouard and in 1998 the visit of Mr. Benoit Jolicoeur, the then Minister for Rodrigues and the cultural group Madelon from Rodrigues. It did not only cement the relationship between the Rodriguan Melbournian community and our mother country but it also gave the opportunity to the Rodriguan artists to perform in Australia. Madelon took the Australian community by storm when they performed at the Sandown Park Festival in Melbourne.

The club is celebrating its thirteenth anniversary this year. The longevity of the club can only be mirrored through stability. Today, the maturity of the club is reflected in the stability of our current committee. Since its inception, the club has experienced unstable leadership and constant bickering at committee level and for the first five years the managing committee of the day had a reputation of not lasting through its full term. But for the past three years, with the tandem leadership team of Mrs. Marie Templin and Mr. Michael Plaiche, their Executive Committees have enjoyed full terms in office.

Ms. Danielle Plaiche, Mr. Wally Goodsir, Mr. Barnabe Francois, Mr. Stellio Francois and Mrs. Marie Josee Templin were past Presidents. Their contributions to the club are not to be underestimated. The continued success of the club should be attributed to its members. They have been pivotal to keep the club alive during moment of crisis. The club started with a humble membership of 100. Today, it enjoys a membership of 405, of which 88 are of non-Rodriguan background. Without the members' strong support, the club would not have lasted that long. This signifies the achievement of Rodriguanism in Australia.

The club enjoys a membership of people from diverse ethnic background. Although, the club's primary objective is 'to promote the Rodriguan culture and traditions to all members', the club has attracted people of diverse cultural background.