The Mauritian Cultural Gem

 

 

Beneath the surface of Mauritius tropical beauty: with the sharp mountain line, rolling hills, white sandy beaches, rare plants and fragrant flowers, the rich marine life, fresh cascades and the warm turquoise blue ocean. Behind the famous five-star resorts, the high-class golf clubs and the world-class deep-sea fishing, there is a treasure that often remains undiscovered by visitors; the Mauritian culture…. or more correctly cultures.

 

 

 

 

Mauritius is one of the rare countries that are truly and authentically cosmopolitan, made up of the different traditions and customs of those who have settled on this remote island during the last 400 years. The unique blend of European, Indian, Chinese, African and Arab culture is evident in all aspects of Mauritian life: The festivals, the cuisine, the architecture, languages, dance and music.

 

 

 

 

 

There is a myriad of villages and towns where you will find a Catholic church, a Muslim mosque, a Hindi temple and often a Chinese pagoda within walking distance from each other. There is even a small and fairly unknown graveyard in Bambous that has booth a Jewish and a Muslim section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devotion:

I am well travelled and have lived and worked in four different continents, but nowhere else have I found a country that is so genuinely open, embracing and accepting of human diversity. Mauritian people are very religious but are exceptionally open and accepting of believes and traditions that differ from their own. A religious festival, no matter what religion is hosting it, is celebrated with much fervour and devotion. It is seen as an opportunity to meet, gossip, get dressed up, eat and dance together no matter what religion you belong to.

 

During my time in Mauritius (well over a year) I have witnessed many cross religious marriages; just about every combination imaginable. I have seen Catholics celebrate Tamil festivals, Muslims attending Christmas dinner and Hindus lighting firecrackers at the Chinese New Year.

 

The most popular festivals in Mauritius are:

 

 

 

 

Thimithi

or Fire-walking cere

mony is a festival originating in South India that is celebrated between the months of October and November. The fire-walking ceremony often takes place in the morning and requires a week of intense prayer to get ready. The belief is that the more devoted you are the less pain you will feel… The same goes for Cavadee.

 

 

 

Cavadee

This spectacular Tamil festival is preceded by a period of fasting, prayer and vows and takes place in January or Febuary. It is the celebration of Lord Muruga who is the brother of Ganesh. Cheeks, tongues chests and backs are pierced with hooks that carry brass vessels with fresh milk and mixed ornaments.  Large offerings of flowers and peacock replicas are carried on backs while some pull heavy wooden carts only with their love handles (steel wires are pulled through the skin and attached to the carts).

 

 

 

 

Maha Shivaratree

This festival is also called ‘the great night of Shiva’ and is celebrated by a pilgrimage to “Grand Bassin”, a sacred natural lake on the central plateau with huge eels in it. Generally held in February, the pilgrims dressed in white proceed to Grand Bassin carrying bamboo contraptions on their shoulders as a sign of sacrifice.

 

Divali

Divali, the light festival held in November, is originally an Indian festival celebrating the victory of Lord Rama over the devil as dep

icted in the epic poem, Ramayana. Most Mauritians adopt this festival and decorate their homes and gardens with small oil lamps.

 

 

 

Holi

Is a happy Indian festival,

where the celebrants splash each other (and sometimes every by passer) with strong

powder-colours.

 

Father Laval Day

On September 9th, birthday of Blessed Father Jacques Désiré Laval, people of all communities walk to his shrine at Sainte Croix. A priest of French origin in the 18th century, Jacques Désiré Laval became the protector of the slaves’ community and has become the symbol of compassion and love.

 

Chinese Spring Festivals

The Chinese New Year’s Day or the Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Sino-Mauritian community. This festival is preceded by a thorough cleaning of the home and is characterised by the traditional sharing of wax cakes amongst relatives and friends. On that day firecrackers are lit to chase evil spirits. Special celebrations are held on that day in Port Louis in China town with Chinese Dragons and lion dances.

 

 

 

Eid-Ul-Fitr

This festival is celebrated at the end of the holy month of fasting, Ramadan. All Muslims celebrate this day with prayers at the mosques where food and cakes are shared. These are also shared with neighbours, friends and the poor.

 

 

 

Christian’s festivals

Mauritius has a big Christian community, mostly of Catholic faith. As such, most Christian celebration like Easter and Christmas are celebrated here with some of the same tradition as in Europe. During Easter, you will find the traditional Easter cho

colate eggs on sale everywhere on the island. For Christmas, the living room is decorated with a Christmas tree and gifts are offered to the children.

 

 

Ougadi

Ugadi or Yugadi as it is also called is the Telugu New Year held in March or April and is a celebration of the creation of the Universe by the God Brahmâ.   The day starts with a purifying bath  -the mangala snaanam-  of chandrika oil and a cereal paste massage, followed by prayers, cultural shows and a dinner with neighbours and relatives consisting of six different tastes, symbolising the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise), which should be accepted together as a unity.

 

Ganesh Chathurthi

Is the celebration of the birthday or Ganesh  (the Hindi god with an elefant head) numerous replicas are made and immersed in to the holy lake Grand Bassain.

 

Apart from the above-mentioned festivals, Mauritius has public holidays on First Labourers’ Day, All Saints’ Day, Labourday, The Abolition of Slavery Day and the Western New Year.

 

 

Your own discovery

You will most likely find that you will not be treated like a stranger in Mauritius; that many arms and homes will open for you if you show some interest in the Mauritian culture. During your stay in Mauritius I recommend to occasionally eat out of your hotel, visit a festival, cultural celebration, wedding or place of worship. I never get tired of watching people in Mauritius; the variation of ethnical groups and beautiful cultural mixes is astonishing. If you didn’t know where you were and you had to figure it out from just looking at the locals, you probably wouldn’t have a clue.

 

 

A trip to a public beach over the weekend is also a cultural highlight. You will se a myriad of different bathing attires: from tiny bikinis to outfits that fully cover the whole body, boys in designer board shorts and men in 70ties style Speedos.

Many families bring huge home-cooked meals to the beach and sit and eat for hours.

Don’t be surprised if a local family invites you for home-cooked food on the beach. At sunset the ravane (a large flat drum) gets pulled out and teenagers sing and dance the local Sega, barefoot in the sand.

 

 

 

Gastronomic delight

The ethnic diversity of the Mauritian people is reflected in its cuisine, which has a variety of flavours and aromas inherited from the different migrations through its history. Culinary

traditions from France, India, China and Africa, the best-known and appreciated cuisines in the world, have been passed on through generations. The unique refining and interblending of different cuisines is what makes the Mauritian cuisine a favourite among gastronomes.

The most basic and common ingredients used in Mauritian cooking are the onions, ginger, tomatoes, garlic and chillies while the traditional base is definitely the Indian curries and Creole (African) “rougailles” : a tomato sauce used as a base for many Mauritian dishes usually consisting of tomatoes, onion, bay leaves, thyme and ginger. Spices also constitute a major part of Mauritian cuisine and the extensive use of saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves provide a powerful, yet subtle savour.

There is also extensive use of dals, vegetables, beans and pickles to accompany the dishes. The fairly small Chinese community have had a huge culinary impact on the island; everyone eats fried noodles and rice, chopsuey, spring rolls and soups with fish balls. The tasty Mauritian fast food: dholl purri, farata, gâteaux piment and samosas originate from the Indian community and is a must to try for any tourist, preferably accompanied by a glas of Aloda or tamarind juice. But be aware, the chilli mixes that come with the dish can prove to be very hot and some street stands aren’t overly hygienic.

You will find French dishes like the the daube, civet de lièvre or coq au vin, however the most common French contribution is the baguette, that is eaten with anything from curry to cheese.

In Mauritius you can begin your day with a continental breakfast, followed by a Chinese lunch and finish with an Indian dinner along with some French wine.

 

 

Music

Mauritius is blessed with it’s own unique dance and music style, the Sega of African origin. This erotic dance is pulsated by the beat of the ravane, a larce and quite flat drum, and other rhythmic instruments like the maravane, stones or nuts shaken in wooden frames and triangle. Danced and sung by the slaves, the Sega has been adopted by all Mauritians, booth young and old and is played on all occasions. More recently, in the 80’s, a new sound appeared, a mixture of the Sega and Reggae music called the Seggae. Originally the music of the Rastafaris and the poor suburbs of Port Louis, it has found its way to the nightclubs and the mainstream of Mauritian local music. You can find an array of albums or compilations that you can buy on CDs from a number of Sega and Seggae artists.

 

In nightclubs and bars, apart from the ever-present mainstream music of hip-hop, rap and rock, you will also hear a lot of jazz, French artists and Indian sounds.

 

You will also find very talented Indian and Chinese traditional dancers and musicians in Mauritius, that can be experienced at various cultural shows.

I am positing 20 music videos so you can start to explore some Mauritian music. Many of the videos are visually really bad but listen to the sound anyway. It might take a while to load, so just scroll down a bit and continue to read.

 

 

Personal Experience:

During my research for the coffee-table book that I am in the making of, about the culture and people of Mauritius, I have spent a lot of time with locals from all parts of the island; having family dinners, followed children to school, eaten ash and ghee (clarified butter) in religious ceremonies and curry with my fingers on Hindi weddings, made roti bread with old ladies, studied traditional welders at work, been to birthday parties and beach parties, been on numerous local busses, had many business meetings, had lunch with fishermen, politicians, marijuana growers and hotel owners, have slept beside 10 children and a grandma on a living room floor and heaps more.

I worked as a spa manager, with 20 spa and fitness staff under my responsibility…  at Taj Exotica; a 5 star resort and spa in Flic en Flac. I lived by myself in a big penthouse flat with 3 balconies and a housemaid in an upmarket tourist area.

After I resigned, I continued to live in Mauritius with my partner who was a local Tamil man; that’s when I really started to experience the genuine Mauritius. We lived in poor, non-touristy areas without comforts like hot water and washing machine. In one place we didn’t even have a fridge, but what we lacked in luxury we gained in friendship; we had the nicest neighbours that embraced us like family members and we are still in contact today. (I have some interesting personal adventures from my time in Mauritius…but that’s for another time.)

When I have returned to Mauritius…after I moved back to Europe…I have started to collect material for a coffee table book about Mauritius, but I will need to go back a few more times before it will be ready.

 

 

 

My personal experience is that the vast majority of Mauritian people are very hospitable, open minded, generous, curious and helpful. There is also a huge understanding and acceptance of not only different religions, but also of people from different countries and ages. The patience family members show each other often surprises me. Grandma listen to loud gangsta rap and the teens happily rub grandpas feet when he’s tired. Few people are lonely; the whole family shares the burden and work together, look after the children together, sleep together, pray and party together. The common denominators that bind all the different cultures and religions together and make them Mauritian are; the food, the music, devotion and the beach…and I guess soccer and Hindi movies could be on that list as well.

 

 

 

 

Go check it out for yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seychelles, Maldives or Mauritius?

Are you indecisive about where to go for your holiday or honeymoon?

 

All 3 countries are located in the Indian Ocean and are famous for their white coral sand beaches, clear turquoise blue waters, excellent diving and deep sea fishing, as well as for their top class hotels and spas.  But what are the differences?

“I have lived and worked in the Maldives for 6 months and in Mauritius for 1 year (with longer visits before and after that period) and I have been to the Seychelles a few times. Frequently I am being asked for advice on which country to choose, which one is my favourite and what the differences are.”

This might help you get some clarity if you are thinking about a trip to the Indian Ocean:

 

 

Seychelles

 

 

La Digue, the 4^th largest inhabited island in the Seychelles (115 islands in total) and the least inhabited of the main islands, concur with my internal image of paradise. With lush vegetation, smooth granite boulders and beaches to die for. It’s hard to find a more postcard picturesque place than that.

 

It’s a paradise also for birdwatchers and nature lovers with many rare plants and birds and the giant tortoises.

 

 

The most secluded and beautiful beaches on the island; Grand Anse och Petit Anse are dangerous with strong underwater currents and rips…so be careful.

 

I would recommend a round trip if you are thinking of visiting the Seychelles and La Digue is a must, but staying there for a few weeks would be boring for most people; it’s small, quiet and very laid back…with high prices.

 

 

 

Seychelles has been a bit behind with the development of top end resorts and services but has made a big progress in resent years and has a well-deserved reputation as a role model for ecotourism. Hospitality and service is not occurring as naturally and generously as in Mauritius…although you can expect to find good service in the 5 star resorts. It used to be said the Seychelles has 5 star islands and 4 star service and that Mauritius is a 4 star island with 5 star service.

 

 

 

People speak Seychellois Creole, French and English. Culture wise it is not as rich and varied as in Mauritius but a lot more vibrant than in the Maldives. In the Seychelles it’s easy to find secluded beaches as it does not attract huge crowds of tourists, even though you can find cheaper accommodations these days. Great food by the way!

 

 

 

 

 

Maldives

 

Maldives, the lowest country on the planet, with its highest point of only 2.3 meters, consists of 1192 islands spread out in 26 atolls. The rule is that there’s not more than one resort per island.

Most people stay on one or maybe two different islands during a holiday or honeymoon there. More than that can be a bit tiring as it takes time to get around; the islands are spread out over 90.000 square kilometres.

Unless you really like diving, canoeing, fishing, windsurfing, sailing and going to the spa and reading books…there’s not so many other things to do in the Maldives.

You can forget about nightlife, even in the capital it’s dead at night. Being a Sunni Muslim country, alcohol, pork, pornography and Christian literature is forbidden; foreigners and resorts are exceptions to alcohol.

 

 

I have heard many stories about couples getting bored after a while and getting on each other’s nerves. Restless people that don’t know how to do nothing or that are not big fans of water sports, should really consider another alternative.

 

 

If you are looking to back pack, looking for a self catering apartment or to make up your mind on arrival….you are not going to be very lucky. People are generally friendly and service minded. Work here is a lifestyle, not a 9-5 job: Most people that work on the resorts also live there.

 

 

 

Unless you stay in 5 star luxury, you will likely be served a lot of “long shelf life” food: Something to keep in mind if nice food is important to you.

This is because hardly anything grows in the Maldives…just about everything apart from fish, bananas and coconuts and sweet potatoes, is imported…mainly from India, Sri Lanka and Italy.

Long local sea transports adds to the costs and makes it hard to get fresh ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

Something really great about the Maldives is that you can see booth the sunset and sunrise every day over the ocean…thanks to the flat small islands….and the night sky is fantastic.

 

Most islands have beautiful beaches, some more than others. What most tourists don’t know is that early every morning, and throughout the day there are people working with picking up garbage from the beaches that’s floated ashore. If left untouched, you would have very dirty beaches.

 

The choice of resort is extra important in the Maldives; I suggest that you take your time to choose carefully as you will stay on the resort grounds just about all the time.

 

Do take the amphibian plane at least once…Maldives has to be seen from the air, it’s absolutely amazing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mauritius

 

People and culture wise Mauritius is my favourite, with inhabitants originating form many parts of the world: India, Sri Lanka, Africa, China, Muslim countries and France. Mauritian Creole is the main language, followed by  French Creole, French and English. At school it’s compulsory to study an oriental language which can be an Indian language, Arab, a Chinese language or an African language. People that work with tourism often knows how to speak a bit of Italian, Spanish, German and /or Italian as well.

 

 

 

Mauritius is one big island of 2040 square kilometres, with 4 smaller islands belonging to the country as well: Rodrigues being the most visited of them. Even thought it is densely populated you will find big natural parks and with untouched nature. Beach life, night life, city life, nature walks, religious festivals and cultural shows and exhibitions…plus a lot more: You don’t have to be bored in Mauritius.

 

 

It’s easy to get around; with a rented car, taxi and public transport or on a guided tour.

Even though Mauritius is famous for it’s 5 star hotels, you can find all types and levels of accommodation here.

People are very friendly and helpful; I would even go as far as saying that it’s almost hard to find bad service in Mauritius.

 

 

 

Good quality food is easy to come across in all price levels, with a mix of Indian, Chinese, Creole and French cuisines. Even if you are happy and comfortable with your resort, it’s worthwhile exploring a bit of the island.

 

 

If you have time and money I would recommend a trip to La Reunion, the neighbour country: A beautiful volcanic Island (still active) with high mountains and lush vegetations.

 

 

In the end, it’s only slight variations of Paradise!