Pointe aux Canonniers - The Mobile Cinema in Mauritius - 1960s

Pointe aux Canonniers – Mobile Cinema – Mauritius – 1960s

During the years 1950 – 1970s, whilst not many families had a television set, the Government had set up the mobile cinema to provide entertainment to the inhabitants. The structure was a mobile vehicle equipped with a projector and the display screen hanged outside, be it on a tree or a building wall etc. Shows would normally start at 7pm and was free, but standing, or one could bring his seating facility if necessary…or just simply by sitting on the ground. It was an open-air session where everyone could enjoy any available shows; be it documentaries or movies. Shows were all in black and white… (vintage)!

The meeting place would sometimes be seasides, open football grounds or any available open space that could accomodate the facility. For an entertainment of the time it was sensational as most would say and a very pleasant experience. This media was also used by the Government (Central Information Office) through aggressive campaigns on Family planning in the 1960s, which in this case were mostly documentaries.

Thinking about it, social life of the time was a real genuine commuting. In the image above, the set up was at Pointe Aux Canonniers in the north of the island and visibly a social gathering with United Bus Service (UBS) Buses engaging on the public routes. These old buses sure also forms part of a different history of the Mauritian past. Image shared by: Vicky Cushmajee | Original Post

Apart from the mobile cinema, similarly there also was the public television, which was rather a fixed place where a television set (black and white) was enclosed in a concrete stand with a shutter or window to secure the device. The public television was open to the public at night or late afternoon in places like social centres or specific areas where people could enjoy tv shows. Image (below) shared by: Issa Khodadin | Original Post