The Mauritius African nation is an Indian Ocean Island with idyllic beaches and lush rainforests; it may be as calm or as adventurous as you want. Luxury resorts promise exquisite seafood, spa treatments, and poolside cocktails, while adrenaline enthusiasts may sign up for a dizzying array of activities ranging from scuba diving to 4×4 excursions and waterfall treks. Mauritius is also a nature lover’s paradise, with endemic mammal and bird species, and the impact of its African, French, Creole, Indian, and Chinese population may be found in its aromatic food and colorful festivities.
Mauritius is a cultural melting pot with influences from Africa, India, and Europe. It is well-known for its luxury beach resorts and beautiful coastlines, as well as being a world-class location for scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. The forests of the islands provide habitat for various indigenous mammal, bird, and plant species. Mauritius has something for everyone, from sophisticated nightlife and five-star dining to isolated beaches and tranquil fishing towns.
On the main island, near the small town of Trou-aux-Biches, is one of the country’s best beaches. The town’s public beach is a mile-long strip of beautiful sand with quiet, family-friendly seas. Its west coast location keeps it mostly dry throughout the rainy season, and local eateries serve cuisine that represents Mauritius’ eclectic heritage. Watersports keep both kids and adults entertained, and the southern part of the beach has a variety of lodging alternatives to suit all budgets.
Location
Mauritius is in the Indian Ocean, 500 miles/800 kilometers east of Madagascar and 125 miles/200 kilometers east of Réunion Island. Mauritius, located off the east coast of Madagascar, is another Indian Ocean archipelago with unlimited options for beachfront enjoyment.
Geography
Mauritius is nearly 11 times the size of Washington, D.C., with a total land mass of 784 square miles/ 2,030 square kilometers. The country includes, in addition to the main island, the Agalega Islands, the Cargados Carajos Shoals, and Rodrigues Island. Mauritius’ capital, Port Louis, is located on the northwest coast.
Population and Language
Mauritius’ population was estimated to be slightly more than 1.3 million people in 2017. Although English is the official language of Mauritius, it is spoken by less than 1% of the population. Creole, spoken by 86.5% of the population, is the most widely spoken language. Bhojpuri and French are two other notable languages.
Religion
The most widely practiced religion in Mauritius is Hinduism, 48.5% of the population. Roman Catholicism and Islam are also popular, accounting for 26.3% and 17.3% of the population, respectively.
Currency
The Mauritian rupee is the country’s official currency. Use this online converter for the most up-to-date currency rates.
Climate
Mauritius has two distinct seasons and a warm tropical climate. From November to April is the rainy season and is the warmest and most humid time of year. The dry season is usually from June to September, and it can be quite cool. October and May are shoulder months with unpredictable weather. Cyclones frequently form in the Indian Ocean during the rainy season, and Mauritius may be hit by high winds and heavy rain. However, resorts and dwellings are designed to survive cyclone season.
When to Travel
Mauritius is a delightful destination all year, but the dry winter months (June to September) have the most fabulous weather, with bright, clear days and pleasantly mild evenings. Because flooding and run-off are at an all-time low, this time of year also provides the ideal visibility for scuba diving and snorkeling.
The Main Attraction: The Town of Grand Baie
The beach resort town of Grand Baie, located north of the island, is Mauritius’ most popular tourist attraction. It is well-known for its upscale shopping, superb seafood restaurants, and trendy nightlife. During the day, you may participate in various water sports ranging from scuba diving to deep sea fishing, and the stunning public beach at Trou-aux-Biches is just a short drive away.
How to Get There
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU), located southeast of Port Louis, is the principal entrance point for travelers to Mauritius. Air Mauritius, Air France, British Airways, and Emirates are among the major airlines that fly to Port Louis. Port Louis is also typically the first port of call for cruise ships. Your nationality determines whether or not you need a visa; consult this government website for a complete list of visa-exempt nations. Visitors from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada are welcome.
Medical Conditions
The CDC advises all travelers to Mauritius to have their immunizations up to date. Hepatitis A and typhoid immunizations are required, while hepatitis B and rabies may be necessary depending on what you plan to do while you’re there. Malaria is not a risk in Mauritius.
Mauritanians Are Indeed Africans
Mauritius is known as Africa’s “Miniature Miracle.” It is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse countries. The Indo-Mauritians constitute two-thirds of the population, but there are several minorities, including Sino-Mauritians and Franco-Mauritians. The descendants of enslaved Africans, however, constitute by far the island’s largest minority, accounting for approximately 30% of the population. In some ways, Mauritius was a creation of colonization and of Africa, emerging only after the Dutch imported enslaved Africans from as far away as Senegal, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar and abandoned them on Mauritian coasts.
These populations would become the primary forebears of what is now known as the “Creole” community. At the same time, conceptions of kreolité today have gained implications that extend far beyond the borders of race and African descent.
Creole (noun)
- A person of mixed European and Black origin is referred to as a Grand Creole (Big Creole).
- Ti Creole (Small Creole): a person who is “only” descended from enslaved Africans or those who are economically marginalized.
- Mauritian Kreol: The island’s lingua franca, formed from blending several languages.
Thus, Creole or Kreol refers to more than only groups of individuals but to the language spoken by all Mauritians. Furthermore, the word’s meaning is evolving. For example, at the 2017 Kreol Festival, the Minister of National Solidarity Étienne Sinatambou declared that we are all Creole. He cited the spirit of Mauricianisme, a national identity characterized by the synthesis of the island’s diverse cultures and traditions while doing so.
Language is essential to Mauritians’ identity, as it is in all civilizations. The island’s sprinkling of languages reflects the diversity of the people as well as their history. For example, colonialism left them with English and French. They declared English the official language of the National Assembly despite the fact that it is spoken by less than 1% of the population – Seychelles conduct their parliamentary proceedings in Seychellois Kreol – and conduct the majority of the corporate and media activities in French.
Simultaneously, primary school students are encouraged to study their ancestral languages. In the early 2000s, students were herded each week into “Langue Orientale” sessions, where they learned Hindi, Telegu, Marathi, Urdu, Arabic, or Mandarin. These programs promoted a sense of community, diasporic identities, and allegiances to imaginary homelands – all of which are decidedly un-African.
Students from the Ti Creole community were granted a free study session during this time. This felt like a severe injustice at the time, but in retrospect, this deeply divided ritual marginalized Creole students. Even though Kreol is the nation’s lingua franca and its single most important unifying force, it nevertheless battles for respect among its own people.
The Creole people are profoundly dislocated from their own African roots, in addition to being alienated from their fellow compatriots due to how the languages are regarded differently. The process of colonization caused sentiments of dislocation among enslaved Africans and their descendants, while the systematic removal of Africa from Mauritius’ schools and national identity has worsened the Ti Creole minority’s sense of otherness ever since. These feelings have been exacerbated by enslavement legacies, the community’s historical socioeconomic marginalization, not mention pre-independence ethnic violence that drove a flight of the Creole bourgeoisie. It is worth noting that the majority of persons who departed did so on one-way excursions, not 2,000 kilometers west to the African mainland, but 7,000 kilometers east to Australia.
While many people consider themselves the first Mauritians, the Creole community seems to have lacked an African identity and a sense of connection to their geographical beginnings. This is referred to as “Creole Malaise.”
Thus, the Kreol language is born of pain, enslavement, and indenture, a brutal collective history they share. The language franca is also an essential component of Mauritian sega tipik, perhaps the Mauritian equivalent of African American blues. The enslaved Africans conveyed a lot of pain through their music, but it was also a calling or a recall from their home. It was the rhythm and language that allowed everything unsaid to be said.
When KAYA, a local celebrity and pioneer of Seggae (a blend of sega and reggae), died in February 1999, it was a particularly emotional event for the Creole people. Tensions erupted in response to the announcement, and the resulting violence resulted in even more destruction and death. The explosion, according to Creole organizations, was caused by the community’s isolation from the country’s political and economic realms.
Some things have changed in the last 20 years. On the one hand, Mauritius is changing election borders to achieve proportional ethnic representation. This will almost certainly result in the election of more Creole lawmakers. Inter-marriage, on the other hand, is gradually but steadily blurring these same boundaries of race and ethnicity. They can no longer neatly check the boxes of Indo-Mauritian, Sino-Mauritian, or “General Population,” a census category that lumps Creoles and Franco-Mauritians together.
These changes, among other things, are leading to a shifting definition of what it means to be Creole. Politicians, including the minister, claim to be Creole.
Mauritius is developing toward a situation in which the zilwa (islander) is not African, Asian, or European due to altering concepts of national identity and the blurring of lines between ethnic groupings. Rather, they are a synthesis of all of the preceding. The Kreol language, as a transmitter of culture, is a crucial symbol of this, as its usage crosses ethnic lines.
Much more needs to be done to identify and celebrate this lingua franca and its origins. The establishment of Kreol adult literacy programs and an International Kreol Festival in 2006 are positive steps. However, other measures, such as the rumored Intercontinental Slavery Museum, would bring Mauritius’ African identity to the forefront.
The Young African Leadership Initiative demonstrates that no single person owns what it means to be African and that Pan-Africanism occurs in a diverse range of Black, white, and Asian people. Mauritians, on the other hand, do. They are African because Mauritius is in Africa, and Mauritians are African as a result.
Wrap-Up from Doc T Elliott
Mauritius’s beautiful and medicinal country was like being on “Fantasy Island.” The water was so soothing and remarkably bluish-green and pleasantly warm. My stay there during the last week of June was healing and peaceful. I was first surprised not to see that many African folks. I encountered more East Indians. My visit to the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture helped to inform me about the ethnic origins and history of the island. If you want to travel with family or by yourself, I highly recommend this destination. I stayed at the Beach Comber Resort, which was very elegant and delightful.