Island of Mauritius Tourism and travel guide         HOME     TRAVEL GUIDE     PHOTOS     MAP OF THE ISLAND     WEATHER MAURITIUS - Festivals & Entertainment Home Origins of the island General Information Facts Entry Formalities Flaura Marine Life Beaches Places of interest Museums Island Cruises Deep Sea Fishing Scuba Diving Golf in Mauritius Health & Spas Mauritius Festivals Night Life Weddings & Honeymoons Map of Mauritius Mauritus travel guide   Mauritius is an interesting blend of diverse cultures and religions which the immigrant population brought from their ancestral countries. Their festivities are celebrated in a spirit of peace and harmony throughout the year.   Cavadi This festival is celebrated in January/February. Bodies are pierced with needles, tongues and cheeks with pins, devotees in a trance carry the ‘Cavadi’ on their shoulders as penitence. The ‘Cavadi’ is a wooden arch, covered with flowers and with a pot of milk at each end. Divali 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. Divali represents the victory of truth (light) over ignorance (darkness). The Festival of Lights, Divali, is a celebration of joy, happiness and for many Mauritians, a time for sharing.       Father Laval Every 9th of September Mauritians of all faiths walk or drive towards the tomb of the Blessed Jacques Désiré Laval, the “Apostle of the Black People” at Ste-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, the God of wisdom. Ougadi is the Telugu New Year and is usually celebrated in March.   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. SEGA Whether in your hotel or on the beach, the sega, a dance invented by Mauritians of African origin, has become synonymous with “joie de vivre”. The sega, its music and dance form, is specific to Mauritius. The sega, mainly based on African music originating with slaves, is nowadays played with modern instruments and features contemporary musical influences.      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.
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HOLIDAYS ISLAND > Mauritius > Mauritius Culture
Over half the population of Mauritius is Hindu and roughly another fifth is Muslim; both groups descend from labourers brought to the island by the British to work the cane fields. While some of the resident Chinese and Sino-Mauritians were also brought over as labourers, most came to Mauritius as entrepreneurs, and many still control the lion's share of village-based commerce. The remaining population is composed mainly of Créoles, descendants of African slaves, and Franco-Mauritians, the original settlers of the island. Franco-Mauritians, who make up about 2% of the population, still control many of the sugar plantations, although many emigrated to South Africa and France following independence.
English is the official language of the island, though you're bound to hear French, Créole (a melange of French and various African dialects) and a smattering of Indian languages. The island's main contribution to the performing arts is the Créole séga, a foot-shuffling, body-gyrating, downright erotic dance that's generally performed on the beach to the rhythm of Latin American, Caribbean and African pop. Séga variations to Créole music are popular in the island's discos and are certainly more entertaining than the well-choreographed 'cultural shows' you'll see in hotel lounges.

Probably the most famous novel set in Mauritius is Paul et Virginie, a rather sappy love story by French author Bernadin de St Pierre that you'll find reference to across the island. Famous Mauritian authors include Malcom de Chazal, Robert Edward Hart, Edouard Maunick, the brothers Loys and André Masson and humourist Yvan Lagesse. René Asgarally and Ramesh Ramdoyal are the best known of the contemporary writers producing works in Créole. Both Joseph Conrad and Mark Twain visited the island and wrote of their experiences, and Charles Baudelaire's very first poem, A une Dame Créole (To a Créole Woman), was written in the Mauritian town of Pamplemousses.

One highlight of a visit to Mauritius is the magnificent mixture of cuisines on offer. The most common varieties are Créole, European, Chinese and Indian, with seafood almost always the specialty. In addition, a typical Mauritian buffet might include a Muslim biryani, Indian chicken curry, Chinese pork dish, Créole roast beef and French-style vegetables. Boiled rice is served with just about everything. Common dishes include rougaille, a Mediterranean dish of tomatoes, onions, garlic and any kind of meat or fish, and daube, an octopus stew. Favorite local beverages includes lassi, a refreshing yogurt and ice-water drink, and alouda, a syrupy brew of agar, milk and flavourings that's available everywhere from streetside vendors. Locally produced beer and rum are potent, plentiful and cheap; wines are expensive and usually imported from France or South Africa.