Roger Julien: Keeping Traditional Blacksmithing Alive in Mauritius
Meet Roger Julien, a Mauritian blacksmith with over 50 years of experience, keeping alive a traditional craft now at risk of disappearing.
Roger Julien was only 12 when he began learning the blacksmith’s trade from his father. More than fifty years later, he still works with metal with the same passion, surrounded by fire, the anvil and the steady rhythm of the hammer.
Inside his workshop, every movement reflects skills passed down from one generation to the next. The metal must be heated, its colour carefully observed, its strength understood and its shape formed with precision. It is a demanding craft in which patience, experience and control are essential.
Today, traditional blacksmithing is becoming increasingly rare in Mauritius. Through Roger Julien’s story, Travel-Îles reveals a valuable part of the island’s artisanal heritage, while highlighting the fragility of skills and knowledge that risk disappearing.
Meet a man who has never been afraid of fire and who continues, day after day, to keep this remarkable Mauritian craft alive.
