Tropical Paradise and Flamboyant Culture Thrive in Southern Africa
Hindu Weddings in Indo-Mauritian Society
TEXT Dorian Geiger PHOTOS Stuart Westmorland
“You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and that heaven was copied after Mauritius,” literary mastermind Mark Twain once said of the small African country after a brief visit in 1897.
If Twain still existed today, the renowned writer could have made a noteworthy career of writing slogans for travel brochures. However, Twain’s divine perspective of Mauritius is shared by most tourists who visit the country and become immersed within the landscape and culture the island has to offer. Located on the Southern tip of Africa, east of Madagascar, Mauritius is engulfed by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. The small island country measures 1,860 square kilometres in dimension, and is roughly 11 times the size of Washington, D.C. Mauritius’ population, according to a 2008 census of the country, is hovering around the 1.3 million mark. Mauritius has a rich, and exciting historical background, and records indicate Arab sailors had knowledge of the tiny island as early as the tenth century. Initially explored by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius fell under the colonial rule of the Dutch, French, and British, for upwards of four centuries, before acquiring independence in 1968. Presently, the Mauritian government operates under a parliamentary democracy, which advocates regular elections, and boasts a strong emphasis on human rights and freedom. Within the Mauritian constitution, aspects of French civil law and elements of English common law, are woven tightly together within the fabric of Mauritius’ political past.
