Culture of Mauritius

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The culture of Mauritius involves the blending of several cultures from Mauritius's history, as well as individual culture arising indigenously.

Mauritius is a multicultural country, but some have observed that it is not yet a nation where people look more in the direction of the land of their forebearers and fail to come to terms with the reality in which they face everyday life. And yet the country has, in essence, its own language (Mauritian or Mauritian Creole) and a thriving literature in that language, its own music and dance (the sega), a special cuisine - it's the land where miscegenation is rich and vibrant but there is a view that the root searching ideology of those in power tries to shroud what is most progressive in the cultural landscape.

Mauritian beer (especially Phoenix, since 1963), is a big part of Mauritian culture.

Contents 1 Folklore and music 2 Mauritian public holidays and festivals 3 Mauritian cuisine 4 Literature 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Folklore and music

Mauritius is blessed with the sounds and rhythms of the western, eastern and African civilisation which have come across its history. This legacy has been preserved and passed on unscattered through generations. On the other hand, some have meld together to yield unique sounds and rhythms.

The most typical folkloric dance of Mauritius is the "Sega" of African origin. This dance is pulsated by the beat of the ravane, a circular drum, and other rhythmic instruments like the maravane and triangle. Danced and sung by the slaves, the Sega has been adopted by all Mauritians and is played on all occasions. More recently, a new sound, a mixture of the Sega and Reggae music, has found its way in our musical culture. This fusion music called the Seggae, a melodious and entertaining new rhythm that reflects the mixed aspect of Mauritius, emerged in the 80's. 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.

There are also traditional music and dances that have been introduced by the Indian and Chinese migrants coming to Mauritius. Few things compare to the refines and elegance of the Indian dances. Dressed in colourful sarees, the dancers execute precise choreographies with each posture and attitude expressing its own meaning. They are accompanied by the exquisite sound of the sitar and tabla expressing the finest (refined) and magic behind the oriental culture. There are also the very colourful Chinese traditional dance with the ancestral lions and Dragon dances being the best known. The sight of these mystical creatures brought to life by the precision and agility of the dancers is a must to be seen.

Western music is also well represented in the Mauritian culture. This includes the mainstream music amid rap, hip-hop, rock, Jazz band and other more traditional music like the waltz as well as all types of ballroom dancing. There is also a strong following for the 60's to 70's oldies, with the likes of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Englelberd Emperding being part of the national musical heritage.

Mauritius has several of its own folk tales, mostly ghost stories. Indeed, many of the island's inhabitants tend to have at least one ghost story to tell, especially based on seemingly real-life experiences. Today, it has become a tradition throughout the island for families to gather and listen to ghost stories at night. During the 1940s-1970s, a rumour was spread throughout Mauritius of a werewolf-like creature which, because nearly the whole population believed to be true, became the gosdsip in the media for several years. The name comes from the French word for werewolf- louf garou, dubbed loogaroo by the islanders. Even today, tales of this mythical creature are still told with as much enthusiasm as the earlier years. Loogaroo has today become an icon in Mauritius. Other than the Loogaroo, there are many more frightening tales, some going back generations while others are relatively new. Either way, they have become an integral part of family life throughout Mauritius.

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[edit] Mauritian public holidays and festivals

The number and diversity of public holidays and festivals give an idea about the rich heritage of the island's people and its multi-cultural aspect.

Public Holidays on fixed dates:

• New Year – 1 and 2 January
• Abolition of Slavery – 1 February
• National day (Independence Day) – 12 March
• Labour Day - 1 May
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 15 August
• Arrival of indentured Labourers – 2 November
• Christmas – 25 December

Public Holidays with varying dates:

The festivals listed below are not celebrated at the same date every year. Therefore only the months when they are likely to be celebrated is given.

• Chinese Spring Festival (Between January and February)

The Spring Festival, which is the Chinese New Year, is celebrated in January/February, depending on the adjustment of lunar days. Red, symbol of happiness, is the dominant colour. Food is piled up to ensure abundance during the year and the traditional wax cake is distributed to relatives and friends. Firecrackers are lit to ward off evil spirits.

• Thaipoosam Cavadee (February)

Cavadee is celebrated in January/February. Along with the fire-walking and sword-climbing ceremonies, Cavadee is among the most spectacular Tamil events. The body pierced with needles and the tongue and cheeks with skewers, the devotee, trance-like and in penance, walks in procession to the temple bearing the "Cavadee", a wooden arch covered with flowers with a pot of milk at each end of its base which he or she places before the deity.

• Maha Shivratree (Between February and March)

Maha Shivaratree is celebrated in honour of Hindu God, Siva (February). Hindu devotees, clad in spotless white, carry the "kanwar" - wooden arches covered with flowers – on pilgrimage to Grand Bassin, to fetch holy water from the lake. The whole scene is reminiscent of the great rituals on the banks of the Holy Ganges in India.

• Ugadi (March)

Ugadi is the Telegu New Year.

• Ganesh Chaturthi (Between August and September)

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the 4th day of the lunar month of the Hindu calendar. It marks the birthday of Ganesha, the God of wisdom and remover of all obstacles according to Hindu mythology.

• Divali (Between October and November)

Divali is the most jovial of all Hindu festivals. Celebrated in October/November it marks the victory of righteousness over evil in the Hindu mythology. Traditionally, clay oil lamps were placed in front of every home turning the island into a fairyland of flickering lights; these have now been replaced mostly by decorative electric lights.

• Eid-Ul-Fitr (Between October and November. The exact date of this festival is subject to confirmation as its celebration depends on the visibility of the moon)

Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadhan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. It is a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing for Muslims. Prayers are offered at mosques during the morning.

[edit] Mauritian cuisine

Mauritius is a paradise for the senses, not only for the eyes with its beautiful landscape, but also for the palate. Gastronomes will find a variety of flavours and aromas inherited from the different migrations through its history. Culinary traditions from France, India, China and Africa have been passed on through generations. The story of a Mauritian starting the day with a continental breakfast, followed by an Indian lunch and finishing off with a Chinese dinner is a common cliché.

Mauritius has strong ties with the French culture through its history, which have left a very French style of "savoir vivre". French dishes like the daube, civet de lièvre or coq au vin served with good wine bear the testimony of these traditions. As years passed by, some have been adapted to the more exotic ingredients of the island to confer some unique savour. Mauritius Spices

During the nineteenth century, after the abolition of slavery, Indian workers who migrated to Mauritius brought their cuisine with them. Those indentured labourers came from different parts of India, each with their own culinary tradition, depending on the region. The extensive use of spices like saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves are the common ingredients that provide some powerful, yet subtle, savour. There is also extensive use of dals, vegetables, beans, and pickles to accompany the dishes. Dholl puri and roti, originally an Indian delicacy, have become the fish and chips of the Mauritians. Biryani from Mughal origins is a dish prepared by the Muslim community, with meat mixed with spiced rice and potatoes.

The end of the 19th century saw the arrival of Chinese migrants, who came mostly from the south-eastern part of China. They originated mostly from the Cantonese region bearing the best reputation in Chinese cuisine for its variety and sophistication. Chinese dishes appeal to the senses through colour, shape, aroma and taste. This tradition of excellence has been preserved and, as such, has conquered the tables of all the other communities. Even if the Chinese community is one of the smallest, its cuisine is the most present in the restaurants around the island. Fried noodles or rice, chopsuey, spring rolls are eaten by everyone. Other such delicacies as the shark fin or abalone soup can only be found in specialised Chinese restaurants. Mauritius: Alouda

Along the years, each community has adapted and mixed each other's cuisine to their liking, which has resulted in a Mauritian cuisine. This can be seen in the Creole cuisine which is a blend of different ingredients and savours. The ever-present creole "rougaille" is served with a number of "achards" (pickles) or dals and rice from Indian origin. There have also been some changes during the last twenty years with the arrival of some fast foods: burgers, pizza and chips.

Anyone visiting the island should try a pair of dholl puri with a large glass of "alouda" or tamarind juice to have a genuine taste of Mauritius.[2]

[edit] Literature

While everyone in Mauritius speaks Kreol Morisyen (Mauritian Creole), most of the literature is written in French, although many authors write in English, Bhojpuri, and Morisyen (Mauritian Creole). Important authors include Malcolm de Chazal, [[Ananda Devi], Raymond Chasle, Loys Masson, Marcel Cabon, Khal Torabully and Edouard Maunick. Mauritius's renowned playwright Dev Virahsawmy writes exclusively in Morisyen (Mauritian Creole).

[edit] See also

• Coolitude
• Aapravasi Ghat

v • d • e Republic of Mauritius topics
Districts	Black River · Flacq · Grand Port · Moka · Pamplemousses · Plaines Wilhems · Port Louis · Rivière du Rempart · Savanne
Dependencies and territories	Agalega Islands · Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon) · Rodrigues Soudan Banks · Nazareth Bank · Saya de Malha Bank
Politics and government	National Assembly · Political parties · Elections
Economy related	Currency · Companies · Communications · Foreign relations · Transport · Educational sector
People and culture	Creole · Franco-Mauritian · Indo-Mauritian · Sino-Mauritian Prominent Mauritians Hinduism in Mauritius · Islam in Mauritius · Music of Mauritius
Other	History · Military · Geography

[edit] External links

• île en île - Literature of the Indian Ocean, biographies, bibliographies, excerpts and links.
• Mauritius travel guide
• Mauritius Society of Authors
• Mauritius multi-ethnical culture