A cultural cartography of the Indian-Oceanic diasporic field is an evolving cartography that looks for buried memories and allows for new layers to appear. It is a cartography that questions hegemonic narratives and the borders drawn by wars and imperialism. It is a cartography of grey zones and contact zones, of fragile communities under assault everywhere. It charts a new world day by day. It is a cartography of minute gestures, small beginnings and transient practices that weave a world of cultural practices pregnant with dreams and the consciousness of the tragic dimension of the human condition. It is also a cartography that includes nature as its life force, and places humans among other living species.  
The history and culture of the Indian Ocean in the longue durée present a kaleidoscope that discourages broad generalizations. There is no unity to the Indian-Oceanic world. What is remarkable is that this body of water, so large and difficult to navigate, was crossed very early on by navigators who started their journey in Far East Asia and landed in Madagascar. There can be no discussion of the world of the Indian Ocean without acknowledging the role of the monsoon winds and navigation techniques. They brought peoples into contact, facilitated commerce and the emergence of a cosmopolitan world of