Last Updated At: 03-Apr-2024
Beginning from its colonial past to its multicultural present, the Culture of Mauritius is a reflection of its rich history and the influences of various ethnicities that have shaped its identity over the centuries. Just like other nations, Mauritius is famous for its unique dances, cuisines, religions, festivals, and whatnot.
The melting pot of people from different religions from several countries, Mauritius houses churches next to Chinese pagodas and mosques next to Indian temples. So, when you are here, don’t forget to communicate with people to know about their culture extensively. Let’s dive into this blog and explore more about the rich history and culture of Mauritius.
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Mauritius is a heavenly destination that entices every soul with its soul-captivating aura! Let us discover more about this beautiful destination, along with:
Let’s begin with the Mauritian history!
In an abstract, the island of Mauritius has served as colonies in the past. It was first discovered in 975 CE when the Arab sailors named it Dina Arobi. In 1598, the island was renamed Mauritius by a Dutch squadron. This name was used to honour Prince Maurice Van Nassau.
From 1638 to 1710, the island served as colonies for the Dutch. Further, for the next century, from 1715 to 1810, Mauritius was a French colony. Next, the island was taken by the Britishers, who used it as a colony from 1810 to 1968. In 1968, Mauritius achieved its independence.
Read More: History of Mauritius
Though the pop culture of Mauritius has been influenced by European, American, and Indian music, their traditional music and dance is Sega. It is sung and performed with the help of several musical instruments, such as the Ravanne, Triangle and Maravanne.
These traditional instruments amplify the native music style. Sega songs and dance are performed as self-expression, representing the life and experience of the Mauritian people. With time, European, Indian, and American music has influenced Mauritian music too. When here, you will see Western musical instruments used by the local artists.
Primarily, Bhojpuri music has seen widespread popularity among the Mauritian population. Thanks to The Bhojpuri Boys, several international artists and DJs perform in Mauritian clubs and pubs.
If you plan to visit Mauritius, do it during the festival season, as you will get to see a lot of things. You see, just like India, Mauritius is also a melting point of several religions. Around 50% of the population of Mauritius is Hindu. Other than that, some people are Christians, Muslims and from the religion Buddhism.
Irrespective of their religion, the ethnic diversity of Mauritius celebrates some common festivals and special days, such as
On top of that, Hindus celebrate their festivals, namely Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Ugadi and Maha Shivratri. Other festivals like Ramadan and Eid are celebrated by Muslims. And the shimmering lights over the church can be seen during Easter and Christmas. On every festive occasion, the sky of Mauritius is filled with stunning lights and fireworks. Thus, we offer you a chain of cultural experiences in Mauritius.
Wow! The food. Yes. The cuisine of every continent, country, or state is a unique aspect that distinguishes it from the others. And if you are in Mauritius, you are going to love the Cuisine as it is influenced by Indian, Chinese, French, and Creole.
There is a plethora of fruits, seafood, and other dishes that you will surely savour when you are in the country. Dholl Pori, which is a Mauritian iteration of Paratha with Dal, is a unique thing to taste. Besides, the fertile volcanic soil of Mauritius allows fruits, such as golden pineapples, luscious mangoes, and refreshing coconuts to grow.
If you are fond of pescatarian food, countless options, such as fish, prawns, squid, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, or octopus, are available. For drinks, phoenix beer and rum are on the house.
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For a traveller, getting something special or memorable from the places they visit is necessary. Though in other places, it can be tough to decide on a souvenir, it will not be challenging in Mauritius.
There are only a handful of souvenirs available, but all of them are stunning masterpieces. The finest artwork of the artisans of Mauritius is the handmade wooden ship model. Made from supreme-quality woods, including teak, rosewood, and mahogany, these masterpieces have intricate details that took several manhours to develop.
The souvenir will be the centrepiece of attraction in your house. Besides this compulsory item, there are embroidered clothes, baskets made of vacuous fibre, etc.
As the history of Mauritius includes the mention of Dutch, French, and Britishers, their influence can be witnessed at several historical places in the country. Here is a brief overview of those historical sites and their significance.
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Visiting the sites will be one of your best experiences in Mauritius. With the right music, dance, art, and food by your side, you will surely love the Mauritian Cultural Heritage.
And if you are impressed by Mauritius's rich culture and history, you need to witness it first-hand. Trust us, this experience with be 100% unique and exotic! At Adotrip, we prepare you for your trip by providing you with information, flight tickets, hotel reservations, tour packages, VISA assistance, and travel insurance under one roof. So, you can rest assured before and on the trip.
With Adotrip, nothing is far!
Q1. What are the major cultural festivals celebrated in Mauritius?
A1. People of Mauritius share moments of happiness with their loved ones on Diwali, Mahashivaratri, Eid, Holi, and Thaipoosam Cavadee.
Q2.
How has the multicultural society influenced the culture of Mauritius?
A2.
The culture of Mauritius has the influence of several cultures of the world, such as Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telugu, Creole, Franco-Mauritian, Chinese and European descendants; thereby, almost everything from food and art to dance, and these have influenced music.
Q3.
Are there traditional dance and music performances in Mauritius?
A3.
Yes, there are several traditional dance and music performances in Mauritius that include rhythms of African music and the use of ravanne, maravanne or triangle. The traditional music of the Sega folkloric is popular because of its place on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list.
Q4.
What is the significance of traditional clothing in Mauritian culture?
A4.
Here, culture is given more importance when choosing attire while visiting religious places. However, there are no strict rules with respect to the clothes a person chooses to wear. The attire varies based on the community.
Q5.
How do Mauritians typically greet each other in their culture?
A5.
In Mauritius, Creole people love to greet each other with a firm handshake, but if they are familiar with each other, they greet with a 'la bise'.
--- Published By Adotrip
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