Customs and Traditions of Mauritius

There are so many cultures blended which create unique and distinctive parts of a whole, that should we call it Mauritian Culture or Cultures? The gregarious people of Mauritius have descended from settlers on its shores for 400 years. So you will find the Chinese celebrating the Chinese new year, people of Indian descent throwing themselves wholeheartedly into Diwali and Holi celebrations, Cavadee, Ganesh Chathurthi, Mahashivratri. The Christians and people of Dutch, French and English ancestry celebrate Christmas and Easter, while the Indian and African origin Muslim population celebrates Id after fasting through Ramadan. An event peculiar to Mauritius is the annual pilgrimage of Pere Laval, the French social reformer. All are celebrated equally splendidly. European, Indian, Chinese, African and Muslim, who can imagine that unity in diversity of customs can thrive on such a small island. Diversity can be found in every aspect, not only festivals mentioned. You will find churches next to a mosque, Indian temples next to Chinese pagoda. Mauritius is termed as a multilingual country with a plethora of languages such as Hindi, Mandarin, Urdu, Tamil, Marathi, Bhojpuri, French, and Cantonese. English is the official language and Creole is the native language which binds all these together. Creole emerged from French settlers and African slaves. Dress in Mauritius is culturally dependant and conservative. Mauritians seem aloof initially till they become comfortable and accepting.

 

Cavadee
This festival is celebrated in January/February. Bodies are pierced with needles, tongues and cheeks with pins, devotees in a trance carry the ‘Cavadee’ on their shoulders as a penitence. The ‘Cavadee’ is a wooden arch, covered with flowers and with a pot of milk at each end.

 

Diwali
The Festival of Lights is celebrated in a spirit of pure joy, in the month of October or November. Small clay lamps line the walls, balconies and yards. They are lit at sunset. Their golden light, which is believed to guide the Goddess of wealth and good fortune, can be seen everywhere. Diwali represents the victory of truth (light) over ignorance (darkness). The Festival of Lights, Diwali, is a celebration of joy, happiness and a time for sharing.

 

Father Laval
Every September 9, Mauritians of all faiths walk or drive towards the tomb of the Blessed Jacques Désiré Laval, the Apostle of the Black People at St.Croix, Port-Louis. The belief in Père Laval, to whom powers of healing are attributed, reminds us of the Lourdes Pilgrimage in France.

 

 

 

Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the 4th day of the lunar month of August/September by Hindus in honour of the birth of Ganesha, God of wisdom.

 

Holi
This Hindu festival is as colourful as the many legends from which it originates. It is above all a festival of joy during which men and women throw coloured water and powder on each other and wish one another good luck.

 

Id-El-Fitr
The Id-El-Fitr festival signals the end of the Ramadan - the fasting
period for Muslim people. Prayers are said in mosques all day long.

 

Ougadi
Ougadi is the Telugu New Year and is usually celebrated in March.

 

Spring Festival
The Chinese New Year is celebrated each year on a different date, owing to the differences between the lunar and the solar calendars. Houses are thoroughly cleaned before the festival. No knife or scissors are used on the actual day of the festival. Red, a symbol of happiness is the main colour of the day. Food offerings are made to ensure that the following year will be plentiful and traditional ‘Wax’ cakes are distributed to parents and friends. Firecrackers are set off to drive away the evil spirits.

 

Sega

Every Mauritian is brought up with the Sega dance. Rhythmic, lively music, colourful Creole lyrics, the Sega is seen and lived as the dance expressing freedom and ' joie de vivre'. This dance specific to Mauritius originated from the slaves brought from Africa. Dancing around the fire at the end of a hard day’s work was obviously their way to temporarily put aside the painful moments of their miserable existence. Today, Sega is the national dance heard everywhere on beaches, in shops, in hotels and on each and every occasion for entertainment. Traditional Sega is played with the basic instruments known as the ravanne, the maravanne and the triangle. The beat of the drums, the shuffling of feet, the swaying of hips are part and parcel of the music. One can still find these local spontaneous Sega parties around a bonfire in remote village areas or on beaches.

 

Here are some general cultural norms:

1. The majority of the Mauritians are incredibly polite. Proper greeting is the norm. Practice your Bonjours and Bonsoirs. Even if catch the eye of a stranger, give a nod or a smile. Mauritian children are brought up to greet everyone they are introduced to with a kiss on each cheek, French style. Between adults and men, a handshake is fine.

2. Mauritians dislike people who are too loud or brazen, women seen drinking or inappropriately dressed, smoking etc.

3. Mauritians are punctual people, whether is a social occasion or business meeting. If invited to a lunch at noon , don’t be surprised to find that many people have already eaten if you are 20 or 30 minutes late.