Mauritius Culture

The culture of the island of Mauritius is a blend of European and African as well as Asian cultures. This blend is reflected in almost all aspects of the life on Mauritius. The cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Creole, Chinese, European and Indian influences. It’s especially good and uses a lot of the seafood caught of the coast of the island.

The production of rum is widespread on Mauritius. Sugarcane was first introduced to Mauritius by the Dutch in 1638. However, it was during the French and British administrations that sugar production was fully exploited, which considerably contributed to the economical development of the island.

The sega is a local folklore music on the island. Sega has African roots, and main traditional instruments for producing the music are goat-skin percussion instruments called ravane and metallic clicks using metal triangles. The songs usually describe the miseries of slavery and has been adapted nowadays as social satires. Men are usually at the instruments while women perform an accompanying dance which is more often erotic.

Mauritius culture is very much a blend of other cultures and this helps create a laid back and accepting culture on the island.

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