Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

is a

multi-ethnic The term multiracial people refers to people who are mixed with two or more races and the term multi-ethnic people refers to people who are of more than one ethnicities. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mult ...

multilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When the languages are just two, it is usually called bilingualism. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolin ...

and a

plural society A plural society is defined by Fredrik Barth as a society combining ethnic contrasts: the economic interdependence of those groups, and their ecological specialization (i.e., use of different environmental resources by each ethnic group). The eco ...

with a population composed mainly of four major

ethnic An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...

and

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

groups. It is often depicted as a "rainbow nation". The island of Mauritius did not have any indigenous population and has been characterized by successive waves of

European colonization The phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by various civilizations such as the Phoenicians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Han Chinese, and A ...

and multiple immigrations. Under French rule between 1715 and 1810,

slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

were imported on the island from mainland

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

and

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. Indian migrants from

Pondicherry Pondicherry, officially known as Puducherry, is the Capital city, capital and most populous city of the Puducherry (union territory), Union Territory of Puducherry in India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the southeast coast of Indi ...

first arrived on the island in 1736. Later, massive immigration from the

Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...

speaking regions of

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

took place following the abolition of slavery in 1835 by the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. After an early influx of Chinese migrants into Mauritius, mostly from

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

and

Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...

migrants from

Southern China Northern China () and Southern China () are two approximate regions that display certain differences in terms of their geography, demographics, economy, and culture. Extent The Qinling–Daba Mountains serve as the transition zone between ...

(

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

) settled on the island, first as

indentured labourers Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract called an "indenture", may be entered voluntarily for a prepaid lump sum, as payment for some good or serv ...

and later as free merchants. Hakka Sino-Mauritians eventually became the dominant group within the community. The co-existence of

Mauritians Mauritians (singular Mauritian; ; Creole: ''Morisien'') are nationals or natives of the Republic of Mauritius and their descendants. Mauritius is a melting pot of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious peoples. Mauritian is made up ...

of Indian, African (known as

Mauritian Creoles Mauritian Creoles are the people on the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga and the Chagos Archipelago and in the wider overseas Mauritian diaspora who trace their roots to continental Africans who were brought to Mauritius under slave ...

), European (mostly French), and Chinese ancestry eventually led to a sharing of values and cultures, a collective participation in festivals and an increased understanding between people of different ethnic backgrounds. Mauritians from different cultural backgrounds are very distinct from each other, and it is also highly unpopular to encourage the dissolution of cultural boundaries in Mauritius. Mauritian

high culture In a society, high culture encompasses culture, cultural objects of Objet d'art, aesthetic value that a society collectively esteems as exemplary works of art, as well as the literature, music, history, and philosophy a society considers represen ...

is French and Indian dominated.

Religions

The Constitution of Mauritius prohibits discrimination based on creed and provides for the right of individuals to change, manifest, and propagate their religious beliefs. The government of Mauritius recognizes 6 groups as religions: Hindus, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Seventh-day Adventists; other religious groups must register as associations. The people of Indian descent (

Indo-Mauritian Indo-Mauritians are Mauritians who trace their ethnic ancestry to the Republic of India or other parts of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia now known as Nepal and Pakistan. History During the administration of the French East India Compa ...

) follow mostly

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. The Franco-Mauritians, Creoles and Sino-Mauritians follow

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. Hinduism is the major religion, followed by Christianity (with Catholicism as the largest Christian denomination), followed by Islam and some form of Chinese-related religions; a very small number of people follow Buddhism. A majority of Sino-Mauritians identify as Catholic Christians. However, Sino-Mauritians also follow some form of Chinese-related religions (which include

Taoist Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ...

and Chinese Folk religions). A minority of Sino-Mauritians follow

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

; they also follow

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...

Guan Di Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

(Kwan Tee; the god of wealth, also the god of war and the righteous and the benefactor) is an important deity for Sino-Mauritians, especially for those working in the business field. In Chinese pagodas, altars can also be found for

Guan Yin Guanyin () is a common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with compassion known as Avalokiteśvara (). Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means " he One WhoPerceives the Sounds of the World". Originally regarded as male in Indian ...

, the Goddess Mazu (also known as Tin Hao; the protector of sailors), the God Choy Sun (the God of Good Fortune). Pagodas also shelter ancestral cult altars and ancestral tablets. Following Chinese tradition, religious services are typically conducted one week after death at the pagoda and the ancestral tablet of the deceased with his name written in

Chinese characters Chinese characters are logographs used Written Chinese, to write the Chinese languages and others from regions historically influenced by Chinese culture. Of the four independently invented writing systems accepted by scholars, they represe ...

is deposited behind the altar. On

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...

, descendants of the deceased can practice the ancestral rites before the ancestral tablets as a sign of respect.

Public holidays and festivals

Celebrated Festivals with public holidays

The number and diversity of public holidays and festivals indicate the rich heritage of the island's people and its ethnic diversity. Public Holidays on the same dates: Public Holidays with different dates: The festivals listed below are not celebrated on the same date every year. Therefore, only the months when they are likely to be celebrated is given:

Major events without public holidays

Clothing of Mauritius

Fashion in Mauritius is also influenced by the vague formality-related rules, personal preference, difference between urban and rural lifestyle, and by the diverse origins of the Mauritian population, including ethno-religious identity. Mauritius of all background wears bright colours, especially Mauritian women. Flip-flops (locally known as 'savat') are worn by all Mauritian regardless of their cultural background, which are suitable for the Mauritian climate. Mauritian string bracelets can be tied to anyone with whom you share a bond of love and protection, after a loved one dies a family will often wear a matching string bracelet as a meaningful way to remember and honour a deceased loved one. It can be worn as a symbol of their memory, a reminder of their love and influence, and a source of comfort during times of reflection. Beachwear and tight/revealing clothing is acceptable in many

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that aims to provide most of a vacationer's needs. This includes food, drink, swimming, accommodation, sports, entertainment and shopping, on the premises. A hotel ...

s but they are not considered appropriate in towns and villages. Both Western-style clothing and Traditional ethnic clothing are worn in Mauritius.

Cuisine

The

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...

of Mauritius is a blend of African, French and other European cuisines, as well as Chinese, and Indian influences. It is common for a combination of cuisines to form part of the same meal.

Beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

and

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

are not commonly found in restaurants given dietary restrictions of Hindus and Muslims. Mauritius has had strong ties with French culture throughout its history and was left with a very French "savoir vivre". Even today, the popularity of French dishes like the

bouillon Bouillon can refer to: Food * Bouillon (broth), a simple broth ** Court-bouillon, a quick broth * Bouillon (soup), a Haitian soup * Bouillon (restaurant), a traditional type of French restaurant ** Bouillon Chartier, a bouillon restaurant fou ...

tuna salad Tuna salad is a salad dish consisting of tuna and mayonnaise. The tuna used is usually pre-cooked, canned, and packaged in water or oil. Pickles, celery, relish, and onion are popular ingredients to add. Tuna salad is used to make tuna fish s ...

daube Daube (, or ) is a French slow-cooked stew, usually of beef, but other meat is sometimes used. The best-known is the , a Provençal stew made with cheaper cuts of beef braised in wine, with vegetables, garlic and herbs, and traditionally coo ...

, civet de lièvre or

coq au vin ''Coq au vin'' (; , "rooster/cock with wine") is a French dish of chicken braised with wine, lardons, mushrooms, and optionally garlic. A red Burgundy wine is typically used, though many regions of France make variants using local wines, such ...

served with good wine show the prevalence of French culture in Mauritius. As the years passed by, some have been adapted to the more exotic ingredients of the island to confer some unique flavour. During the 19th 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. Traces of both northern and southern Indian cuisine can be found in Mauritius. Some common preparations are

curry Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...

chutney A chutney () is a spread typically associated with cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt, or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion ...

, ''rougaille poisson sale'' (

tomato paste Tomato paste is a thick paste made from tomatoes, which are cooked for several hours to reduce water content, straining out seeds and skins, and cooking the liquid again to reduce the base to a thick, rich concentrate. It is used to impart an i ...

that is very popular with

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

) and

pickles Pickle, pickled or Pickles may refer to: Food * Pickle, a food that has undergone pickling * Pickled cucumber * Pickle, a sweet, vinegary pickled chutney popular in Britain, such as Branston Pickle, also known as "sweet pickle" or "ploughman's ...

, most of which use local ingredients. The Mauritian versions of those dishes have a local flavour and differ, at times considerably, from the original Indian recipes. The end of the 19th century saw the arrival of Chinese migrants, who came mostly from the south-eastern part of China. They are largely credited with making

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

, the staple diet of the island, and making

noodles Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures and made into a variety of shapes. The most common noo ...

, both steamed and fried, popular. Chinese appetizers such as ''taken'' (local version of the

spring roll Spring rolls are rolled appetizers or dim sum commonly found in Chinese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cuisines. The kind of wrapper, fillings, and cooking technique used, as well as the name, vary considerably depending on the region's cu ...

with a flour batter replacing the traditional rolled wrapping), crispy chicken and crispy squid have become part of the Mauritian folklore. Furthermore, Chinese and other Asian restaurants are present all around the island, and offer a variety of

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

squid A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...

mutton Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat (or sheepmeat) is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries'', and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in thei ...

and

dishes, most typically prepared in black bean sauce or

oyster sauce Oyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from oyster extracts,The Times, 22 January 1981; ''Cook Accidentally on purpose'' sugar, salt and water, thi ...

. Mauritian families often consider dinner at an Asian restaurant a treat. Along the years, each of the country's communities has adapted and mixed each other's cuisine to their liking. The production of

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...

is common throughout the island.

Sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

was first introduced on the island when the Dutch colonised it in 1638. Even then, the propensity of making rum out of sugar cane was strongly recognised. Sugar cane was mainly cultivated for the production of "

arrack Arrack is a Distillation, distilled alcoholic drink typically produced in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, made from the Fermentation (food), fermented sap of coconut flowers or sugarcane, and also with grain (e.g. red rice) or fruit depending upon ...

", a precursor to rum. Only much later, after almost 60 years, was the first proper sugar produced. However, it was during the French and English administration that sugar production was fully exploited, which considerably contributed to the economic development of the island. It was Pierre Charles François Harel who in 1850 initially proposed the concept of a local distillation of rum in Mauritius. In part due to his efforts, Mauritius today houses three distilleries (Grays, Medine and St Aubin) and is in the process of opening an additional three. While not as famed as its Caribbean counterparts from

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

, Mauritian rum is slowly gaining exposure on the international stage and is considered by local stakeholders as an area of potential growth.

Language and Literature

Language

Currently, the official language of Mauritius is

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

. The British colonial legacy in Mauritius is reflected in the use of English language in governmental documents and communications; however, English is rarely used in public life and in daily conversation. Mauritians working in the tourism industry are however fluent in English; English is also taught in school and is the working language of government and businesses. French is the ancestral language of the

Franco-Mauritians Franco-Mauritians () form an ethnic group of white people in Mauritius who trace their ethnic ancestry to France and ethnic French people. Franco-Mauritians make up approximately 2% of the country's population. Other than documented European ance ...

. The presence of French settlers left an important mark on the ethnic composition of Mauritius in the form of the

; despite being a minority group, the Franco-Mauritians strongly affected the rest of the population through the use of the

French language French ( or ) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European family. Like all other Romance languages, it descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. French evolved from Northern Old Gallo-R ...

. As the French language was associated with

in Mauritius, the educated and the business class commonly spoke French. Nowadays, business and social aspects of life, as well as in the media (including daily newspapers), literature and many cultural expressions in Mauritius, are, however, dominated by French language. Most Mauritians are more comfortable speaking French than English, and is used by all ethnic groups. Mauritian Creole evolved from the

pidgin A pidgin , or pidgin language, is a grammatically simplified form of contact language that develops between two or more groups of people that do not have a language in common: typically, its vocabulary and grammar are limited and often drawn f ...

used by the French slave masters of the 18th century to communicate with their slaves and incorporated words from African and Malagasy dialects. Mauritian Creole is understood and spoken by all Mauritians regardless of ethnic background.Mauritian Creole was initially not taught at school due to what was considered 'a lack of prestige' due to its association with the local Creole population and was perceived as a form of 'broken French'. It is only in January 2012 that Mauritian Creole was officially introduced in the ''National Curriculum Framework'' and became an optional language subject for primary school students. Most ethnic groups in Mauritius have an ancestral language. Due the presence of Mauritians of Indian and Chinese descent, Asian languages, which include

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

, Telugu, and

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

, are commonly spoken. Most of these languages act as significant religious and ethnic identity markers. Oriental languages are taught at schools, and the ethnic background of a student predominately influences his choice of oriental language.

Literature

While ''kreol morisien'' ( Mauritian Creole) is the most spoken language on in Mauritius, most of the literature is written in French, although many authors write in English,

, and Morisien ( Mauritian Creole), and others such as Abhimanyu Unnuth in

. Mauritius's renowned playwright

Dev Virahsawmy Dev Virahsawmy (16 March 1942 – 7 November 2023) was a Mauritian politician, playwright, poet and advocate of the Mauritian Creole language. Though he wrote easily in both French and English, Virahsawmy was most renowned for his efforts to po ...

writes exclusively in Morisyen. Important authors include

Eugénie Poujade Jeanne Eugénie Poujade (1814 – 1881) also Madame Delafond, also Madame la Comtesse E. de Sornay was a Mauritian poet and writer, who founded the Société du Lierre and its periodical ''La Parisienne (periodical), La Parisienne''. Biography ...

, Malcolm de Chazal, Ananda Devi, Raymond Chasle, Loys Masson, Marcel Cabon, and Edouard Maunick. Lindsey Collen has been able to carve out a meeting of imaginaries in the unique social setup of this multi-faceted country. Other younger writers like Shenaz Patel, Amal Sewtohul, Natacha Appanah, Alain Gordon-Gentil and Carl de Souza explore the issues of ethnicity, superstition and politics in the novel. Poet and critic Khal Torabully has put forward the concept of "coolitude", a poetics that results from the blend of Indian and Mauritian cultural diversity. Other poets include Hassam Wachill, Edouard Maunick, Sedley Assone, Yusuf Kadel and Umar Timol. The island plays host to the coveted Le Prince Maurice Prize, a literary award celebrating and recognizing 'writers of the heart'. The award is designed to highlight the literary love story in all its forms rather than for pure Romantic Fiction. In keeping with the island's literary culture the prize alternates on a yearly basis between English-speaking and French-speaking writers.

Legends and folklore stories

Many people in Mauritius, in particular those living in rural areas, believe in witchcraft and paranormal activities; this is very likely to be the combination of African, Malagasy, Indian, Chinese and European folk traditions.

Calèche de Lallmatie

Calèche de Lallmatie (lit. "

Chariot A chariot is a type of vehicle similar to a cart, driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid Propulsion, motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk O ...

of Lallmatie" in English) is a Mauritian legend around the village of Lallmatie which says that two women dressed in white riding two white horses were seen at night, close to midnight. The legend appeared some years prior to the appearance of ''Touni Mniwi'' phenomenon.

Lougarou

Lougarou (lit. "

werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshifting, shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a Shapeshifting, therianthropic Hybrid beasts in folklore, hybrid wol ...

" in English; from the French term "Loup garou") is a notorious figure which appears in Mauritian folklore, which is mostly used to scare children; its appearance may result from the combination of French and African folklore stories. The Lougarou appears at full moon and brings trouble to the local population. Protection against the Lougarou is believed to be given if a person consults a ''longanis'' (i.e. a local sorcerer) or a ''treter'' (i.e. witch doctor).

Touni Minwi

The legend of ''Touni Minwi'' (lit. "Naked at Midnight") appeared in 1994 following Cyclone Hollanda; the cyclone had led to the destruction of many houses and electricity shortages. Touni Minwi was supposedly a form of Lougarou, who would visit women in their homes at night. This led to hysteria among the local population; many witnesses would affirm having seen frightful manifestations at night time, including apparitions of Lougarou. The Touni Minwi phenomenon led to a large mobilization of people in the capital,

Port Louis Port Louis (, ; or , ) is the capital and most populous city of Mauritius, mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District. Port Louis is the country's financial and political centre. It is admi ...

, and in the village of Lallmatie.

Mountain-related legends or folk stories

Le Morne Brabant and the Maroons

According to the legend, the maroons decided to jump to their death from

Le Morne Brabant Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwestern tip of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. On it is a basaltic monolith of the same name 556 metres (1,824 ft) high. Its summit covers an area of over . There are many caves and overha ...

when they misunderstood the presence of a group of soldiers who were supposed to inform them that they were emancipated following the Slavery Abolition Act passed by the British. Fearing recapture and being returned to their former masters, they decided to commit suicide.

Pieter Both and the Milkman

Pieter Both Mountain is one of the most emblematic places in Mauritius; it is characterized by a rock which looks like a human head on its top. According to a famous local legend, a milkman from the village of Crève Coeur (which is also located at the foot of the mountain) used to sell milk in the surrounding villages. One day, the milkman decided to take a shortcut through Pieter Both to reach the next village; when walking, he felt tired and decided to rest. When he woke up, he saw fairies dancing and singing; the fairies told him not to tell anyone about what they saw or he would be turned into stone. The milkman, however, could not prevent himself and told the story to his friends. When the milkman returned to Pieter Both, the fairies knew that he did not keep the secret and turned him into stone. The head of milkman is the top of the mountain. The rock, which is perched on the tip of Pieter Both, is therefore believed to be the milkman.

Landmarks, architecture, and monuments of significance

World Heritage Sites

Aapravasi Ghat

The Aapravasi Ghat is found in the bay of Trou Fanfaron in Port Louis; it is the place where indentured Indian labour system started. In 1834, following the emancipation of slaves, the British used Mauritius as their first site to experiment the use of contracted 'free (indentured) labour' from the poorest parts of India to replace the use of slaves. The Aapravasi Ghat is the remnants of an immigration depot built in 1849 to receive the influx of indentured labourers coming from India, Eastern Africa, Madagascar, China and Southeast Asia to start a new life of work on the sugar plantations. The Aapravasi Ghat site is owned by the Ministry of Arts and Culture. The property is protected as National Heritage under the National Heritage Fund Act 2003 and the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund Act 2001. It was listed in the World Heritage List in 2006.

Le Morne Cultural Landscape

is found in the southwest of Mauritius; it used to shelter escaped slaves, called maroons, throughout the 18th to 19th centuries. The Mauritian oral traditions associated with the maroons have made Le Morne a symbol of the slaves’ fight for freedom, their suffering, and their sacrifice. It was listed in the World Heritage List in 2008. The ''International Slave Route Monument'', located at the foot of Le Morne Brabant, was established in 2009 due to its association with a historical and legendary place, called the 'Valley of Bones'. According to the legend, the maroons decided to jump to their death from Le Morne Brabant when they misunderstood the presence of a group of soldiers who were supposed to inform them that they were emancipated following the Slavery Abolition Act passed by the British. Fearing to be recaptured and be returned to their former masters, they decided to commit suicide.

Chinese Cultural Landmarks

Chinatown of Mauritius, Port Louis

The

Chinatown Chinatown ( zh, t=唐人街) is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, O ...

of Mauritius is situated in

. The Chinatown emerged in a city which is marked by the strong racial segregation of the 18th century. A small Chinatown was already forming in Port Louis in the mid-1780s, and in the mid-1840s, Port Louis market was dominated by Chinese traders. The Chinatown was also divided by the Cantonese and the Hakka who showed hostility towards each other. Port Louis Chinatown was originally developed around the shops of Fujianese and Cantonese immigrants in the north of Royal Road and was further expanded in the 20th century. The Cantonese established their own neighbourhood at Royal Road and extended along Arsenal Road to La Rampe Road; they opened shops, restaurants, Kwongs (societies) and religious associations, which include the ''Chan Cha'' (founded prior to 1874). Between the 1910s and 1920s, Hakka commerce started to extend beyond the limits of the Old China Town along Royal Road; Hakka business would later expand to the South of Royal Road.In the 1940s, there was an influx of Chinese immigrants who arrived in Mauritius to open more businesses, and decided to settle around Royal Road in the heart of Port Louis, further developing what is currently known as the Mauritian Chinatown. China_Town_-_panoramio

The Chinatown also houses the ''Heritage Court'', which is the headquarters of the Namshun Society (also known as the Nam Shun Fooy Kwoon (南顺会馆)). The Namshun Society was initiated by early Cantonese migrants from Nanhai and

Shunde Shunde (Shun Tak in Cantonese) is a district of the city of Foshan, Guangdong province, located in the Pearl River Delta. It had a population of 2,464,784 as of the 2010 census. Once a traditional agricultural county, it has become one of the mo ...

(who became known as "Nam Shun" (南顺) in Mauritius) since 1859, when the early migrants formed an informal association of mutual help; it was officially registered on 26 June 1894. The founding father of the Namshun society was Affan Tank Wen. In 2018, the New Chinatown Foundation was established with the common goal of reviving the Chinatown, as well as restoring and preserving its cultural heritage.

Chinese Pagodas

Chinese pagodas throughout Mauritius are important sites for Sino-Mauritians as these are where traditional ceremonies and festivals take place. It was common practice for Chinese migrants to donate money to the pagodas which they frequently go to.Cantonese clan groupings also set up their own pagodas. Cantonese pagodas included Chan Cha Pagoda (found at Arsenal Road), Tiong Fa Pagoda (found on La Rampe Road), Fok Diak Pagoda (found at Rémy Ollier Road and built in 1846), and Sweet-Hang Pagoda (found on David Road). Nam Shun Fooy Kwoon has pagodas which are located next to the Champs de Mars in Port Louis, consisting of the Kwang Tee (

) Pagoda (first built in 1895, a new building was inaugurated in November 1980), where a shrine for the dead (jiu sin sun wai) for the Cantonese community is found to allow the souls of the deceased to rest, and the Tin Hao (

Mazu Mazu or Matsu is a sea goddess in Chinese folk religion, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. She is also known by several other names and titles. Mazu is the deified form of Lin Moniang (), a shamaness from Fujian who is said to ...

) Pagoda; they also have an altar for the God of Good Fortune, Choy Sun.

= Kwan Tee Pagoda, Port Louis

= The Kwan Tee Pagoda (or

Pagoda) is located at Les Salines, Port Louis; it is the oldest pagoda in the Southern Hemisphere and in Mauritius. Its location and construction follow the Chinese principles of spirituality by facing the sea and being against the mountains. It was built in 1842 by Hahime Choisanne and his followers. The Cohan Tai Biou Society (which existed since 1819 and was founded by Log Choisanne) is responsible for the administration of the Kwan Tee Pagoda. Guan Di is an important deity for Sino-Mauritians, especially for people who have businesses. The cult of Guan Di is associated with the god of wealth; Guan Di is also the god of war and of the righteous and of the benefactor. Inside the pagoda, there is the altar of

, who is a protector of sailors, and

. There is also an ancestor cult altar, with the oldest tablet dating around 1841. Following Chinese tradition, religious services are typically conducted one week after death at the pagoda and the ancestral tablet of the deceased with his name written in

is deposited behind the altar. On

, descendants of the deceased can practice the ancestral rites before the ancestral tablets as a sign of respect. The Kwan Tee Pagoda has also been listed in the National Heritage List since 2016.

Music and Dance of Mauritius

Music found in Mauritius has the sounds and rhythms of Western, Eastern, and African civilizations which result from the preserved legacy transmitted by the ancestors of the Mauritians to their descendants. Traditional dances and music were introduced by Indian and Chinese migrants to Mauritius. The most well-known Traditional Chinese dance in Mauritius is the

Dragon dance Dragon dance () is a form of traditional dance and performance in China, Chinese culture of China, culture. Like the lion dance, it is most often seen during festive celebrations. The dance is performed by a team of experienced dancers who man ...

and the

Lion dance Lion dance ( zh, s=舞狮, t=舞獅, p=wǔshī, c=, first=t) is a form of traditional dance in Culture of China, Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a Asiatic lion, lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good l ...

. Western music and dance are also well represented in Mauritius, where rap, hip-hop, Jazz, and waltz (along with all types of ballroom dancing) can be found. There is also a strong following of

oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music. Since 2 ...

music, dating from 1960s and 1970s; performers such as

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...

, and Engelbert Humperdinck are part of the national musical heritage. Some sounds and rhythms from various ethnic backgrounds have also merged to form unique forms of rhythm and sound. The most typical folkloric dance is the

Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...

, which is of African origin; the Sega was originally danced and sung by slaves before being adopted by all Mauritians. Seggae (a form of music which results from the mixture of the Sega and

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

) emerged in the 1980s, reflecting the mixed cultural aspect of Mauritius.

National Symbols

Sport

Due to lack of funding and a local culture that values academic achievement over any other form of activity, Mauritius' national sports teams have been very unsuccessful at a competitive level. However recently,

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

has rapidly increased in popularity in the small island nation.

Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

is also popular. Both national teams have very low world rankings for their particular sports. At the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

, Mauritius had won its first Olympic medal. Bruno Julie, a boxer, won the bronze medal. However, Mauritius is quite competitive at the regional level (Inter-Ile) in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius has collected some gold, silver and bronze medals at the Jeux des Iles de l'Océan Indien (JIOI). The second and the fifth editions were hosted by Mauritius in 1985 and 2003 respectively. Mauritius also organised the JIOI in 2019, where the Mauritian athletes dominated the games and won numerous gold medals and the competition. As in countries like

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

is hugely popular among males, especially England's

Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

. The most followed clubs are

Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...

Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...

and

Arsenal F.C. The Arsenal Football Club, commonly known as simply Arsenal, is a professional football club based in Islington, North London, England. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. In domestic football, Arsenal h ...

Owing to their recent successes,

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça (), is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of ...

have gained significant support. The national sport, however, remains

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

, which is part and parcel of the island's cultural heritage. Horse racing in Mauritius dates back to 1812, when the Champ de Mars Racecourse was inaugurated, making it the oldest racecourse in the Southern Hemisphere. Races are widely followed, both in terms of attendance at the Champ de Mars and viewership by television audiences. Mauritians of all ages like to discuss races, share tips and place bets. At an amateur and recreational level, there is a growing culture of participation in sport, with trail running, cycling, mountain biking and water sports becoming increasingly accessible and popular.http://www.active.mu

References

External links

Mauritius Society of AuthorsMauritius Restaurants Guide
biographies, bibliographies, excerpts and links.
Islam in MauritiusLocal network of churches

Trianon Conference Centre, MauritiusFree recipes of Mauritius
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Culture Of Mauritius