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Mauritius

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LAND & PEOPLE

THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS

Mauritius is a sovereign island nation in the southwest Indian Ocean, which — together with Réunion, Rodrigues, and the Cargados Carajos Shoals — is one of the Mascarene Islands. Rodrigues is a smaller island under Mauritian rule, approximately 350 miles (560 km) east of its larger neighbor. The Cargados Carajos Shoals (also Mauritian) are located some 267 miles (430 km) to the northeast of the mainland. Réunion is a slightly larger but less populous island ruled by France as a département d'outre-mer (overseas department), and lies approximately 135 miles (220 km) west of Mauritius.

The Mascarenes share a common geological origin and natural history. They were formed by a volcanic ridge that emerged some 8 to 10 million years ago, which explains the strange rocks and craters one finds on Mauritius, and the active volcano on Réunion.

Alongside their Indian Ocean neighbors Madagascar, the Seychelles, and the Comoros, these islands have a shared history of slavery, colonialism (under France or Britain), and maritime trade. Looking further back and further afield, the islands of the western Indian Ocean have been linked, historically, to places as far-flung as East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South and Southeast Asia, and beyond. As such, movements of people, goods, languages, and cultures have created a shared sense of belonging among the peoples of this part of the world. These days, many of the islands in the southwest Indian Ocean share a common bond in the French language.

GEOGRAPHY

The Republic of Mauritius (République de Maurice in French, Repiblik Moris in Kreol) comprises the main island of Mauritius and three dependencies: Rodrigues, the Cargados Carajos Shoals (or Saint Brandon), and the Agalega Islands. The country also holds territorial claims to Tromelin Island and the Chagos Archipelago, which are ruled, respectively, by France and the United Kingdom. The capital, Port Louis, is found in the northwest of Mauritius. Administratively, the country is divided into nine mainland districts and three dependencies, which are subdivided into smaller municipalities.

Mauritius

The main island of Mauritius (Île Maurice), almost oval in shape and surrounded by coral reef, lies approximately 530 miles (855 km) east of Madagascar in the southwest Indian Ocean. It is just north of the Tropic of Capricorn at 20° S, 57° E. A dot in the ocean measuring just 720 square miles (1,865 sq. km), it is about half the size of Rhode Island, or comparable to the English county of Buckinghamshire. Mauritius is renowned for its natural beauty, which led Mark Twain, who visited in 1896, to remark: "What there is of Mauritius is beautiful."

A coastline fringed with palms and casuarina trees, and measuring around 110 miles (177 km), rises sometimes steadily, sometimes steeply toward a central plateau at more than 1,300 feet (400 m). Though not nearly as rugged as neighboring Réunion, Mauritius is mountainous, with oddly shaped volcanic peaks dotting the interior of the island (Twain called them "quaint and picturesque groups of toy peaks"). The highest peak is Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire (2,717 feet, 828 m), followed closely by Pieter Both (2,690 feet, 820 m), Le Pouce (2,661 feet, 811 m), and Corps de Garde (2,362 feet, 720 m). Rivers, waterfalls, lakes, and reservoirs also occupy the interior, and the little that remains of the once-pristine forest is now called the Black River Gorges National Park. The non-mountainous parts of the landscape are now dominated by endless fields of sugarcane.

The capital and main port, Port Louis (pronounced "por-looee" or "port-looiss"), is located in the northwest of Mauritius. Around 150,000 people (Port-Louisiens) live here, and many more travel to work here from other places on the island. Slightly further south, several towns have almost merged into one vast urban area within the Plaines Wilhems district (the central plateau towns, population approximately 400,000). These comprise, from northwest to southeast, Beau Bassin, Rose Hill (pronounced "roz-eel"), Quatre Bornes ("cat-born"), Vacoas ("vak-wa"), Phoénix ("fen-eeks"), and Curepipe ("cure-peep"), and are fast becoming the residential heartland of an urban middle class. Nowadays, they are popular among many expats who find Port Louis and other coastal areas to be too hot and humid. Mahébourg (pronounced "my-bor" or "my-burg," population 30,000) feels somewhat provincial in comparison, but has a popular market and historic sites related to Dutch settlement.

Rodrigues

At 40 square miles (104 sq. km), the younger island of Rodrigues is much smaller than Mauritius. Although hilly, its highest point, Mont Limon, reaches only 1,305 feet (398 m). Like Mauritius, Rodrigues (usually pronounced "rod-reeg" or "rod-reegs") is surrounded by lagoon and coral reef. It was initially visited by the Arabs, the Portuguese, and the Dutch before being settled by the French and their African slaves in the eighteenth century, and then eventually seized by the British in 1809. Since October 2002, the Rodrigues Regional Assembly has enjoyed limited autonomy from Mauritius. The mostly Creole population stands at approximately 38,000 (2010), living mainly in the sleepy capital Port Mathurin and some other small settlements. Life is quieter than on Mauritius, and Rodrigues has yet to feel the effects of mass tourism. Employment is mainly in fishing and small-scale farming. With an early-to-bed, early-to-rise culture, many businesses close before 4:00 p.m.

Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon)

The Cargados Carajos Shoals (commonly known as Saint Brandon) lie some 267 miles (430 km) northeast of Mauritius. They consist of a few dozen scattered sandbanks, shoals, rocks, and islets within 73 square miles (190 sq. km) of reef, protecting important flora and marine life. A small, non-permanent community of Mauritians works mainly in the fishing industry.

Agalega Islands

Agalega is made up of two islands with a total area of 9 square miles (24 sq. km), which can be found 700 miles (1,100 km) north of Mauritius, near the Seychelles. Here, the three hundred or so inhabitants work in fishing and coconut exploitation.

Chagos Archipelago (Disputed Territory)

The Chagos Archipelago is a group of around sixty-five islands in the center of the Indian Ocean, approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) south of India and 1,200 miles (1,930 km) northeast of Mauritius. Originally settled by Franco-Mauritians and their African and Malagasy slaves in the eighteenth century, and then also by south Indian laborers, the islands once thrived on coconut plantations. They are currently ruled as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

In the mid-1960s, perhaps as a bargain for Mauritian independence, negotiations were held between the United Kingdom and the Mauritian Council of Ministers over the future of the Chagos islands, which were eventually detached from Mauritius in 1965. The largest island, Diego Garcia, was leased to the USA to build a strategic (and secretive) military base in the early 1970s. The issues surrounding this have become hugely controversial, and in recent years many commentators, as well as the Mauritian government, have claimed that the Chagos islands were ceded illegally from the country.

Meanwhile, the plight of the native Chagossians (Îlois) has become increasingly prominent. More than 1,500 islanders were forcibly removed to Mauritius (and smaller numbers to the Seychelles) between 1968 and 1973, and many have since lived a poor and marginalized existence on the outskirts of Port Louis. Others settled in Britain. The situation has created a major diplomatic rift between the Chagossians and Mauritius on the one hand, and the UK and the USA on the other. The Chagos Refugees Group, which campaigns on behalf of exiled islanders, had some success when the British High Court ruled in 2000 and 2006 that their expulsion was unlawful; no effective right of return has been offered, however. A case at the European Court of Human Rights was pending in 2010. It seems likely that a settlement will be agreed upon, allowing the Chagossians at least to return to visit the graves of their ancestors.

Tromelin (Disputed Territory)

A very small (0.38 sq. miles, 1 sq. km), largely inaccessible island located between Mauritius and northern Madagascar, Tromelin (Île Tromelin) has been a French overseas territory (territoire d'outremer) since the 1950s. Nonetheless, the island is claimed by Mauritius, and Madagascar and the Seychelles also have designs on it. The status of Tromelin was already unclear when the British took control of Mauritius in 1810 (the translation and finer semantics of the 1814 Treaty of Paris are found somewhat wanting). The island is now the site of an important French cyclone monitoring station. In 2009, France and Mauritius agreed to share the management of Tromelin's natural habitat and fishing waters.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER

Mauritius has a tropical maritime climate. There are two marked seasons: a hot, wet, and humid summer between November and April, and a dry, cooler winter between May and October. Average temperatures are 68.7°F (20.4°C) in winter and 76.5°F (24.7°C) in summer, though many coastal areas experience temperatures far higher than this (sometimes as high as 97°F/36°C in January and February). The year-round sunshine is tempered by southeast trade winds and heavy showers.

Temperatures tend to be cooler as you head inland to the central plateau, and the wettest weather is found in the area from Curepipe to the southeast of the island (typically from January to March, but also at other times of year).

During summer, the country is at risk of tropical cyclones. There is a cyclone warning system to prevent destruction and loss of life (from class 1 to class 4). If four red flags are raised above public buildings and the media warns of a class 4 cyclone (winds over 75 mph/120 kmph), the population is advised to stay indoors.

There is increasing concern among Mauritians over climatic conditions in the Indian Ocean, especially in relation to global warming. Some commentators suggest that global warming has affected the local climate by causing an overall decrease in local rainfall, accompanied by heavier showers and flash floods in summer months.

THE PEOPLE

According to a government report in 2010, Mauritius has a population of 1,281,214. Considering its small size, and the use of large swathes of land for growing sugarcane (over a third of the land), it is among the most densely populated countries in the world, at 1,626 people per square mile (628 per sq. km).

Town and Country

Historically, there have always been huge differences between the lives of Mauritians living in the towns (more than 40 percent of the population) and those living in rural areas. Settlements in urban areas range from slums and high-rise apartments to modest single-story houses with gardens, yards, and driveways. Low-rise, concrete accommodation is more common due to the threat of cyclones. Wealthy Mauritians sometimes own larger houses and, increasingly, vacation homes by the sea (known locally as a bungalow or kanpman).

Rural areas are still characterized by a largely Indo-Mauritian population, living in small villages and estates surrounding the centers of the sugar industry in the island's north and northeast. After emancipation, Creoles settled in fishing villages, particularly in the traditional Creole heartland of the southwest (Black River District). With a diversified economy and a more mobile, better educated population, however, all this is beginning to change.

Ethnic Categories

There is no indigenous population. Mauritians are a mixed people whose ancestors had their roots in many places around the world. The country has sometimes been called a "United Nations in miniature." Most islanders are the descendants of Africans, Malagasies, Europeans, South Asians, or Chinese, or any combination of these groups, who settled here from the early eighteenth century.

The population is normally categorized in terms of distinct ethno-religious groups: Hindus and Muslims (traditionally known together as Indo-Mauritians), Creoles, Sino-Mauritians, and Franco-Mauritians. To a large extent, and despite official pronouncements, Mauritian society is effectively organized and divided along the lines of ethnicity, religion, and language. As a result, a growing sense of disharmony has accompanied the newfound dominance of the majority Hindus in public life.

Hindus

Hindus in Mauritius make up around half the population. They are widely perceived to be the group that dominates the public sector and, alongside the old Franco-Mauritian elite, occupies many high-ranking positions in the private sector. This is, however, a relatively new phenomenon: Hindus, and Indo-Mauritians in general, were largely disadvantaged and politically disenfranchised until the postwar years and the coming of independence in 1968.

The Hindus have been successful in continuing many of the religious and cultural traditions of their ancestors, and sacrifice, family connections, and kinship are central to their lives. Great pains have been taken to cultivate cultural and religious links with Hindus and Hindu organizations in India. Hindu pride, and sometimes nationalism, can be seen in the numerous statues of deities and red flags found outside homes across the island.

A simplified, hereditary caste system (jati) exists among Mauritian Hindus, whereby members of the Babuji-Maraz (Brahmin high caste, dominant in the Hindu priesthood), the Vaish (middle caste, perceived to be the dominant caste in government and state administration), the Gahlot Rajput (low caste), and the Ravived (also low caste) have traditionally kept themselves to themselves. However, rapid social change and intermarriage have weakened the caste system.

Many are unaware of the cultural, linguistic, and geographical backgrounds of Mauritian Hindus. A family name is often used as a way of guessing the background of another Indo-Mauritian (or any Mauritian, for that matter).

Biharis

Around 80 percent of Mauritian Hindus are known as Biharis, meaning they are the descendants of northeastern Indian immigrants. These forebears arrived in Mauritius from the mid-nineteenth century as indentured laborers from the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Biharis are known to be politically and culturally dominant among Hindus on the island.

Tamils

Mauritian Tamils are the descendants of immigrants from what is now Tamil Nadu in southern India. Many helped to build the island's original infrastructure and bought land and sugar estates in the nineteenth century. They generally follow the Hindu tradition, but some have converted to Christianity and other religions. Today Tamils make up more than 6 percent of the population, and they hold considerable social and cultural importance.

Telugus

Telugus originally arrived in Mauritius from the Andhra Pradesh area of southern India and now make up around 3 percent of the population. Intermarriage with other Hindus and conversions to Christianity have broken down the traditional Telugu community. There have, however, been moves to revive the Telugu language and traditions, and the Telugu New Year, Ougadi, is celebrated with passion.

Marathis

Marathis are the descendants of indentured laborers and artisans from Maharashtra in western and central India. They make up around 2 percent of the population of the island.

Creoles

Creoles make up around 27 percent of the Mauritian population and are largely the descendants of African and Malagasy slaves, though many are actually of mixed African, Malagasy, South Asian, European, and Chinese ancestry. Even so, in relation to Indo-, Franco-, and Sino-Mauritians, Creoles often lack a clear sense of continuity between their ancestors and their lives in modern Mauritius. Unlike in some other parts of the world, there is little in the way of black consciousness among Mauritian Creoles, although many are involved in cultural activism. Rastafarianism has also been developing in recent decades as a subculture influenced by Caribbean cultural and musical traditions.

Creoles have often been caricatured as fun-loving, irresponsible, and individualistic, lacking in morals and a sense of purpose. The stereotype also suggests that they live for the present, frittering their money away on idle pursuits. Such racism fails to see the enormous diversity in the Creole population, however, and there are many successful Mauritians of a Creole background.

Predominantly Roman Catholic, the Creoles have historically formed a sizeable working class and have often been the poorest of the island's population. This has recently bred resentment vis-à-vis the Hindu-dominated administration. Poorer Afro-Mauritian Creoles largely live in the southwest of the island and in slums on the outskirts of Port Louis, though a socially mobile and influential middle class has developed in the central plateau towns.

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Excerpted from Mauritius by Tim Cleary. Copyright © 2011 Kuperard. Excerpted by permission of Bravo Ltd.
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