Mauritian customs and taboos
The Republic of Mauritius is an island country in eastern Africa, located in the southwest of the Indian Ocean, about 800 kilometers away from Madagascar and 2,200 kilometers away from the African continent. As a volcanic island country, Mauritius is surrounded by coral reefs. The island's landforms are diverse. The coast is narrow plains, the middle is plateau and mountains, with many mountains and isolated peaks. The entire territory consists of Mauritius Island and other small archipelago. After undergoing colonial rule by the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom, it was separated from British colonization and gained independence on March 12, 1968. There are also many Chinese on the island. Mauritius was once the only place in the world where the dodo lived, but the bird became extinct at the end of the 17th century. As of 2013, Mauritius is one of the three countries in Africa rated as "High" on the Human Development Index. The official language of Mauritius is English and all government documents are written in English. In school, English and French are both the languages of instruction. But French plays an important role in radio and written media, as well as in business and corporate relations. The language most commonly spoken in Mauritius is Mauritian Creole, which is heavily influenced by French but differs in some places from French; it also contains elements of English and Punjabi. Creole is regarded as the national mother tongue of Mauritius.
Mauritians pay attention to courtesy and treat others sincerely. Friends should greet warmly when they meet, and the common etiquette is to shake hands. In international social occasions, they often adopt internationally accepted titles. Due to the influence of Western culture, many people in urban and rural areas of Mauritius wear suits. If they shake hands weakly, they are called "poor courtesy", hypocritical and heartless. They believe that the degree of force is directly proportional to the degree of kindness of the other party, and it is best to hold your hand until it feels numb and painful.
Mauritius's cities have a strong oriental color, which is related to the fact that more than two-thirds of Mauritius's population are descendants of India and Pakistan, as well as a large number of Chinese. The city streets are wide and lined with modern buildings and Islamic houses and classical European buildings. Every house is hidden among trees and flower beds. Houses in rural areas are generally small bungalows built of bricks and cement, which are not only beautiful but also very strong. Due to the influence of Western culture, Mauritians wear suits in urban and rural areas.
Mauritian cuisine has mixed elements, but also does not lack its own characteristics. It is mostly influenced by Creole, Chinese, European and Indian cuisine. Different local dishes are often mixed in the same meal. Among them, Indian cuisine has the deepest influence on Mauritian food culture. Curries, spices and a kind of paella called "Briyani" in Indian cuisine have been moved into the daily diet of Mauritian people. Mauritius was once ruled by France, so French cuisine was also a popular dish, but its seasoning was influenced by Indian cuisine and African cuisine. This "variant" of French cuisine uses peppers and spices." Dholl puri is a typical Mauritian street food filled with fried bread filled with yellow pea sauce and served with pickled vegetables and Creo-style fresh ketchup, and of course rich seasonings such as garlic, ginger and forage. Seafood is also particularly rich, such as marling fish, fresh tuna fish, smoked swordfish, raw oysters, and mini lobsters. Because it is located in the subtropical region, it produces fresh fruits and vegetables with pleasing colors all year round.
Because most Mauritians believe in Hinduism and Christianity, there are also Islam and Buddhism. So in some big cities, there are Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, mosques and Christian churches everywhere, and everyone is at peace with each other.
The Tamois people in Mauritius hold baptism three times a year. In the days before baptism, men and women who are baptized are not allowed to sleep in the same room and must fast strictly. Most baptism ceremonies are held in front of temples. On the day of baptism, everyone had to gather in front of the temple with yellow flowers in their hands, yellow rings hanging on their shoulders, and light huge piles of wood under the leadership of the wizard. The recipients first went to the "baptism lake" to bathe, and then received "acupuncture" from their relatives. Relatives can stick various needles, as many as dozens or hundreds, into the recipient's arms, chest, ears, forehead, thighs and even tongue to show their blessings. After acupuncture, the recipient must walk barefoot on a path paved with burning cinders to complete the ritual of walking the flame. The entire baptism ceremony takes a day. After the ceremony process is over, the baptized person will also invite all relatives to have dinner to express his gratitude to relatives and friends, and celebrate the successful baptism.
There are many activities in Hinduism in Mauritius, and people can see various rituals and customs of Indian religion at any time. Every festival, groups of Indians go to the "Holy Water Lake" to worship. They carry stupas carefully made of paper and walk on the road. At the lake, people stand in the water and place fruits and other offerings on the shore to enjoy the gods. They are very pious towards the gods in their beliefs. I once saw a scene like this: In the open space in front of a Hindu temple, some young believers were kneeling, under the sun, chanting some incantation, and many people were watching. I saw an elderly man walking up and down among the kneeling crowd, as if observing something. After a while, the elderly man held a very thick silver hairpin and stuck it on the cheek of a kneeling person. The silver hairpin enters from this side of the cheek, passes through the mouth, emerges from the other side, and sticks it into the face without moving. The people watching were stunned, but what was strange was that the young man who was stabbed neither bled nor cried out in pain. On the contrary, he was like a successful person, rejoicing that he had finally fulfilled his wish-to have the opportunity to express his piety and courage to the gods in this special way. After the elderly man finished tying the knot for this young man, he went to tie another young man....
Most Chinese in Mauritius believe in Christianity and Buddhism, and often gather together to hold activities. It is worth mentioning that Chinese people generally believe in Guan Gong, and they often have statues of Guan Gong in their homes for Master Guan's blessing. In the capital, Port Louis, Chinese people also donated money to build the Guandi Temple. The temple faces north and south. It is large in scale and has the traditional architectural style of China temples. There is a statue of Guan Gong and many banners in the temple, as well as a host and other management personnel. In ordinary times, cigarettes are wrapped around, making it solemn and solemn. Every festival, elderly people come to burn incense and kowtow, and some young men and women come here to ask for luck. It is said that the purpose of the older generation of Chinese building the Guandi Temple was mainly to use Guan Gong as the flag and the word "loyalty" as a call to maintain the unity of the Chinese. Now Guandi Temple has become a sight in Port Louis, the capital, and the nearby street is also named Guandi Temple Street.
The customs in Mauritius are also multi-ethnic, both Western and Eastern. For example, there are ways to eat vegetables with knives and forks, as well as chopsticks, while more people prefer to grab them directly with their hands. Another example is to dress, including those wearing suits and shoes, those with flat chests and bare arms, those wearing sari, and those wrapped tightly from head to toe... Various customs coexist and are not exclusive to each other, and are very harmonious.
There are also many holidays in Mauritius, and there are more than a dozen larger festivals, most of which are Indian and Pakistani festivals. Of course, the biggest festival of the year is Christmas, with the longest holiday period. Its festive atmosphere and lively level are no less than those in the Western world. The Chinese are a minority there, but the Mauritian government also lists the Spring Festival as one of the major festivals in their country. When the country will have a day of work leave to celebrate. At midnight on New Year's Eve, Chinese residential areas lit fire whips and set off fireworks, making it very lively. On the morning of New Year's Day, we visit each other to pay New Year's greetings, and at night they play dragon lanterns and lion dances. The sound of gongs and drums shows the traditional color of Chinese culture.
The main taboos in Mauritius are: 1. Say hello with your right hand. Africans should avoid greeting with their left hand. The common way is to raise their right hand and face each other with the palm of their hands, which is a symbol of friendship.
2. Respect Hindu customs. Hinduism is the main religious belief in Mauritius. If you visit local Hindu attractions, you should pay attention to your dress. If you are wearing leather shoes or a belt, you need to take off your shoes and remove the belt before entering the temple.
3. Prior permission is required to take pictures of local people. What you need to pay attention to when taking photos in Mauritius is to avoid local people when taking photos of scenic spots. If you can't avoid it, it's best to say hello and get permission before taking pictures.
4. Avoid using words such as Black and Negro. When dealing with local people in Mauritius, remember not to use words such as Black and Negro. Even if you don't mean anything, it is very impolite to Africans. Although Negro means black people, it specifically refers to blacks and their descendants who were originally trafficked from Africa to the United States as slaves. Therefore, this is their big taboo and must be paid attention to.
5. Do not destroy aquatic life. In Mauritius, it is strictly prohibited to fish on the island without permission, and picking or trampling on coral is not allowed. When you are diving, remember not to hunt fish on the bottom of the sea, catching shells, corals and fish. In addition, it is even more important to note that you are not allowed to cook or process seafood in hotel rooms, and you will be severely punished if found.