Grandma used to tell the story of her life in Mauritius when she was young. I could sit for hours listening to her. Of that time, I created in my mind a black and white patchwork made of trains, hens in the garden, fresh milk in tins and many other things. One of these other things was the games that represented the only leisure available. No televisions, no cinema, no shopping mall to go to. So people used to play. They mainly played cards, dominoes and a game called “carom”.

The Cyber Island

Years later, in the twenty-first century, one may think that in the era of video games, tablets and huge shopping malls in the “Cyber Island”, those traditional games would be less popular. Wrong, wrong and wrong! How come?The Mauritian is very sociable and those games represent more than a way to occupy an afternoon. At first sight one may think that such games are simply a very cheap leisure. Reality is a little more complex as playing a way for people to communicate. No match of Rumi is done in silence. At each turn, you may be sure to hear comments – often to destabilize the opponent- and laughs. No age limits when one plays domino; even if the most hardcore players will play only with their “official” partner. Those games create a sacred time lap with no television, no internet, no games played on a smartphone. It’s a time to talk and to share; share the points, the wins, the defeat, some appetizers and even a drink.

While some traditions are hard to pass on to the new generation, games held a particular place in the Mauritian society and have been adopted by the youngsters. Don’t be surprised to catch a few brilliant students of the University of Mauritius playing cards under some tree nearby their classes. Be prepared to see men playing in groups of four in front of small shops in residential areas. Sometimes with no real table, on stools or old unused chairs, these men play with old cards, not so white dominoes or a worn out board of carom while talking and laughing loudly at any time of the day.

It will be very hard to find a single family in Mauritius with no cards, dominoes or carom board in their house. Even if people don’t play as often as years ago, it’s a very common thing in Mauritius to play on Sunday afternoons. If one word had to be chosen to describe the atmosphere of these afternoons, it would be “conviviality”. Strong bonds are created between family members via those games. Of course, some people may cheat. Of course, losers may have a forced grin and the end of a match. But the most important is that none of the problems burdening our shoulders during the week can darken those “memory-making” Sundays.

For old people whose families now only live in their memories, they still can have new souvenirs with friends in the third age clubs. Those clubs exist in most of the towns and villages of Mauritius. For some hours every week, the elders can find partners to play, but also, as I said earlier, to talk. They share jokes, the news of their grand-children and their health problems. Counseling and therapy may not work for those people who perhaps never heard the word “therapy”, but sometimes playing is a kind of a group therapy.

Community Centers

Throughout the country, players can also gather in Community Centers. Community Centers are quite popular in Mauritius. Just to give an idea, in the city of Port-Louis, sixteen Community Centers can be found. Many activities are organized all year long and among them of course cards, dominoes and carom tournaments. Games are not just about social bonding and nice family time; it’s also a matter of competition. More for glory than the prizes or the trophies, the players turn into fierce competitors during those tournaments. The people with no talent for sports, painting, bakery, etc, have the chance to shine in their community by becoming a winner.

Some private clubs can also be found. Usually, these clubs propose sports, scrabble, and dancing parties. But the more popular events remain the weekly games of domino, cards or carom, and of course the tournaments. Some members of such clubs have been gathering for decades! The Cercle de Rose-Hill for example has existed for more than 80 years and some people can be considered as life-time members as their parents were club members too. But as Mr Jean Jacques Banchillon, the actual president of the Club said on the 80th anniversary of the club, newcomers, « young and less young » are more than welcome join in.

If you want to meet people, and see what a tournament looks like, you can even attend the yearly Family Day organized by the Racing Club of Trianon. There is no entry fee and for more than 10 years, traditional games tournaments took place during the event.

Traditional games, but modern gamers… Some people even look for people to play with on the Internet! On forums or Facebook, people look for people in their neighborhood to play with. With urbanization, neighbors are sometimes strangers. Not every street is like Wisteria Lane and not every neighbor is Bree van der Kamp welcoming you with muffins and an invitation to join in the next poker night.

Even some internationally renowned clubs, like the Lion Club, integrated the traditional Mauritian games to their meetings. One could think that Mauritians jump on every single occasion to play. That someone may be right. In a multicultural country, where generation gap is a real issue and socio-economic differences are strongly felt, a peace zone is most welcome. A player has no sex, no bank account, no religion, is never too young or too old to play. Playing cards, domino or carom is not a Mauritian exclusivity, but Mauritians took it to another level, where games are more than leisure.

Image Source: Massimo Camussi 

Quatre-Bornes is a town with a double identity. It is one of the oldest towns in Mauritius and we can still see the “old Quatre-Bornes” and the “new Quatre-Bornes”. On the border line, there is the Royal Road. Lots of shops and restaurants can be found along that road also named St Jean Street. There even is a shopping centre and some second category hotels. But the favorite place of the Mauritians and foreigners remains the market of Quatre-Bornes. Some days of the week, you can find souvenirs and clothes there, but on Tuesdays and Fridays, this magical place gets full of fruits and vegetables to offer a marvelous trip for your senses.

That old market made of metal sheets, wood, iron bars and tent fabrics may seem out of place in this modern town. The Municipal Council has often talked about a new marketplace for the five last years. It may be a good thing on the health and safety point of view, however, the actual market is acting as a jewel box for the scenes will find there.

From the dark green of the water cress, to the lively one of the lettuce and the various ones of the herbs, the market is dressed with the main colour of Mother Nature. Here and there, red tomatoes, bright bananas and other fruits and vegetables break the pattern. The fresh smell of the parsley and the thyme blends with the rich and spicy ones of the masala and the cinnamon. When you get into the market, you simply can’t be in a rush. The urge to slow down, look around and enjoy the scents in the air is too strong to hold.

Zis Pri Sa?

Mauritians are natural bargainers. May be in our genes or in the air, but even if the seller is proposing those carrots for less than the displayed price, one simply have to bargain. “Zis pri sa?” – “Is that a fair price?” So begins the seller-buyer dance. The seller swears that it’s the best price of the whole market; that this week he is selling his vegetables Rs 10 cheaper than last week. The seller makes three reluctant steps aside, saying that he saw better prices “over there”. Rs 5 of discount per pound will finally be allocated given the quantity of carrots bought. End of the first dance, time to find a new partner.

In a place where so many merchants have to sell their stock, all arguments are good to attract the buyers. You may be asked to touch an eggplant to see how fresh and firm it is. Or you could be offered a grape to be convinced of the sweetness and juiciness of the fruits worth of every rupee you will spend on them. If the veggies or fruits are too ripe or not enough, you may even be given recipes to use them in the best way. Raw bananas? Make a chutney or a pickle out of them. Overripe pumpkin? Don’t eat it with rice, because it is just perfect for a cake or a gratin.

In a Mauritius turning into an “Cyber-Island”, with students receiving tablets from the government, shopping malls bigger than some villages, the market of Quatre-Bornes is a place worthy to visit if you want to get connected to the authentic everyday life of Mauritians.

Resources:

Image Source: Wikipedia.

Mauritius is a small island found in the Indian Ocean, off the East coast of Africa, right next to Madagascar. Does that make it a tropical paradise island? Yes! Let me just give you some examples…

• There are only two seasons in Mauritius; Summer and Winter (but we shall call the latter “Not Quite Summer” as, you would have guessed, it’s almost as hot as in Summer!)
• The People…With its 1.3 million inhabitants, Mauritius is an amazing rainbow of cultures and traditions. The way people cook, dress, speak and live is all different. You might think that it’s not a big deal but Mauritians all live in peace and harmony, despite their differences, almost like a big happy family. We don’t always agree with one another but we have been raised to accept the other and to learn from the other.
• Now, let’s talk about THE Beaches; They are simply G-o-r-g-e-o-u-s! White sandy beaches, blue lagoons, breathtaking marine life and let’s not forget the awesome sunsets. I didn’t mean to make you jealous, I promise.

I could go on and on and on and, mind you, this is exactly what I’m going to do. But first, I’ll tell you a bit more about the Economy, the Politics and the History of Mauritius.

A quick overview of the Mauritian Economy:

The Economy of Mauritius has constantly changed and grown over the last decades. The monoculture of sugarcane has been dominant for more than a century, followed by the tea cultivation. However, since some time, boosting sectors such as Tourism, IT and Software and even Residential Property have grown immensely. Oh, and our currency is the Mauritian Rupee.

Politics:

The Republic of Mauritius is a democratic state and is also a member of the British Commonwealth. Mauritius elects its President through the National Assembly but the person that rules and governs the country is the Prime Minister. General elections are held every 5 years to vote for a new Prime Minister.

A bit of History…

It has been frequently said that Arab sailors were the first to discover Mauritius during the 15^th Century and that the Portuguese visited the island some decades later. In 1598, the Dutch came into scene quite by accident when a violent storm struck Admiral Van Warwick’s ship in the Indian Ocean. This is when Mauritius has been named after a Dutch ruler, Moritz Van Nassau, Prince of Orange at that time.

The Dutch only settled on the island in 1638 and they stayed until 1710. They introduced sugarcane to Mauritius, as well as stags and pigs but sadly contributed to the extinction of the well-known Dodo. Due to its small wings, the dodo was unable to fly and was thus an easy prey to hunters.

After the Dutch left the island in 1710, Mauritius has shortly hereafter been colonised by the French. In 1735, with the arrival of the French Governor Mahé de Labourdonnais, Mauritius, which had been renamed “Ile de France” by then, has started to experience an effective development. Roads, hospitals and more buildings were being built. But an important thing to mention at this stage is that the expansion of the island at that time would not have taken place so rapidly without the huge contribution of slaves. They were brought mostly from East Africa.

The British took possession of the island in 1810 and “Ile de France” was soon back to being called “Mauritius”. As slave trade had become illegal in all British colonies in 1808, slavery was prohibited on the island yet was still going on to help in the further development of the agricultural sector. Slavery was abolished in Mauritius on the 1^st of February 1835.

In the next blog, be prepared to learn more about the fascinating places of interest in Mauritius! I’ll also be telling you more about the different lifestyles of Mauritians.

Image Source: Samovar Incentive

Mauritius, like in any place on earth, keeps its potential danger hidden behind the image of luxury and paradise that it casts around it. Staying safe during your stay is a priority. When first arriving at your destination, you will have to note down or to look for a phonebook containing the telephone numbers of emergency. Some of the numbers are listed below:

1. Emergency : 114
2. Ambulance : 999
3. Police emergency : 999 or 112

Those telephone numbers concern immediate help. It will however be better to know the telephone numbers of any important branches found at the locality to speed up the process of getting into contact with a person who will be able to help you.

Home Security

If you grew up abroad, you will be very surprised to see how Mauritian homes are set up. Nearly, all houses are surrounded by a wall and a main gate. The windows are framed with anti-theft bars. The upper middle class families often have an alarm system or cameras to guard their homes. It can sound creepy and maybe you ask yourself if ever Mauritians feel imprisoned in their own homes. But it is not the case. It has been an old habit to keep homes safe from thieves and attacks. Although those mean of security is strongly followed, theft or attacks still occur on a regular basis. It is not advisable to keep a spare key under a pot of plant or under the doormat. Keeping valuable belongings near the window is also to be avoided. While living here, you will have to get rid of some unconscious habits like e.g. simply closing a door and not locking it.

Pedestrian Security

Unfortunately, pepper sprays are not allowed here. On the occurrence of attacks or indecent assault, your only weapon will be your voice. Especially in public places, screaming will help you enormously. It is not unknown to have perverts trying to touch or molest women on public buses. Generally, it is quite safe to use electronic devices such as laptops or smartphones in public places. The only thing is to know where and when. Walking alone at night, especially in areas where clubbing thrives, is to be avoided unless you are in a group or accompanied. Try to keep bank notes in your pockets instead of purses as handbags are often snatched. Be very careful when you walk on streets especially those which contain hawkers in Port Louis.

Road Security

Since the 1^st January 2014, a new law is being enforced on Mauritian roads. Drivers are required to have a high-visibility clothing in hand. Motorcyclists and cyclists are required to always wear them whenever they are driving. Backpacks are not allowed to be worn in those cases. Drivers who change their wheels at night should absolutely wear this clothing to be seen by upcoming drivers and avoid being knocked down.

Mauritian drivers are also not the most polite ones. Being diplomatic will help you when arguing with someone if ever an accident occurs or wait for the police to resolve the issue.

Mauritian roads are narrow and less spacious than European or American ones. You will need a lot of dexterity to control your car. Note that cars drive on the left hand side of the road and the priority is for vehicles coming from the right. Foreigners are required to have their international license or a license issued by a competent foreign authority to drive. British car license is accepted automatically. While renting for a car, you will have to check if the required accessories are present. They are the yellow chalk, the warning triangle, the fire extinguisher, an accident report and the high-visibility clothing. If ever one of them is missing, ask the car rental company to provide it to you.

Beach Security

Do not swim in any case when the weather is bad, especially if a cyclone alert has been declared and no matter how weak this alert is. The cyclone warning ranges from I to IV with the strength increasing in ascending order. Generally, a swimming area is most of the time demarked in the lagoon with the help of yellow floating balloons. Swim in those areas. Beach officers will guide you while doing aquatic activities such a kayak.

Holidays can be great and memorable. It is better to be prudent for it to stay so. Do not be scared to ask for help in any case. Most Mauritians will be willing to help you.

Image Source: Jean Marc Lim

A smooth bewitching smell spreads in most Mauritian homes every morning. The sweet vanilla mixed with the delicacy of milk arouses taste buds. It is the signal that a new day is beginning, that it is a time to take a break from a long day at work, to meet some friends or simply to enjoy some calmness. This mesmerizing smell is no other than tea.

Commonly called “dité” – spelled jee-thay – in Creole, tea has been omnipresent in Mauritian life since the colonial period, around the 1800s, where the British brought the habit of tea time with them. Brought from Sri Lanka, tea plants were cultivated for exports and for the use of the population. However, this industry declined with the rise of the sugar industry during the 1990s which was more competitive at that time. Since then, tea plantations decreased substantially to give place to sugar cane fields or residential areas. Nowadays, only two major factories survived, The Corson Tea Estate and the Bois Chéri tea factory owned by St. Aubin Ltd.

La Route du Thé

The absence of tea in a Mauritian home can be qualified as a blasphemy. It is always polite to offer some tea to visitors whether it is Chinese tea or the pure Mauritian one although Chinese tea tends to be offered by the Sino-Mauritians only. Employers are also required to prepare a budget to offer tea, milk and sugar to their employees at any time of the day. Early in the morning, teas are sold in markets known as “bazaar” in Mauritian Creole. They are also widely available in every traditional shops or supermarkets on the island. A variety of tea with fancy different tastes e.g exotic fruits is present on the market now.https://web.archive.org/web/20161128170548if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/944dJKfm31k

The discovery of tea can be an amazing experience. Fortunately, St. Aubin Ltd designed a journey to make you explore the history behind teas, its manufacture and its taste in its various form. Best known in French as “La Route du Thé”, which literally translate to the road of tea, the journey starts at the Domaine des Aubineaux found at Forest Side. One of the last colonial houses of Mauritius was built on that estate. The house was kept with its traditional portraits and furniture. You will still feel the antique of the environment. It’s like a travel backwards in time. You will also be invited to drink tea in the tea lounge of the house. The surrounding garden overflows with endemic and exotic plants.

Bois Cheri Tea Factory

The journey continues at the second step of the route which is found at Bois Chéri. A tea factory is set up there surrounded by a large tea field as far as the eye can see. The factory is divided into two sections. The first section contains the museum and the second one accommodates all the machinery required to process the tea leaves. You will be able to see the enormous machines in the manufacturing section from the museum through a large glass pane. Travelling further more into the inner estate, a welcoming chalet shelters a cosy restaurant with a breathtaking view on the south of the island. The exquisite menu includes different variations of tea used as an ingredient to season the main course and desserts. A tea degustation is offered by the restaurant on the balcony after the meal. The tea leaves proposed are mixed with different flavours like coconut, mint, vanilla and more. It’s pleasurable if you are an avid amateur of this beverage.

The last step brings you to the Saint-Aubin found at the south of the island. The colonial house of former administrators of the sugar estate was built there with wood from demolished ships. Its peacefulness can be compared to spas. A restaurant proposes pure Mauritian Creole cuisine with ingredients grown in the surrounding garden and poultry raised in the mini-farm of the estate. A small manufacture of traditional rum, made from sugar cane juice, is also present there. The rum is quite strong with a slight sweet taste. It is also available in different flavours. The most common are vanilla and coconut. An independent Creole house has been transformed into an inn and can welcome you for a marvellous week-end.

“La Route du Thé” is the only attraction which will make you travel back to the colonial period where the tea industry was much more important. It is not to be missed. Mauritians’ tea obsession is also not to be neglected. Happy is the Mauritian expatriate who is offered a vanilla flavoured packet of tea. This beverage will not be forgotten or replaced anytime soon.