Mauritius Culture & People

Mauritius is possibly the most multicultural island in the Indian Ocean, something on which Mauritians pride themselves.

Mauritians tend to live side by side harmoniously, but marriage between people from different religious and cultural backgrounds is uncommon, and as a result distinct communities still exist.

Franco-Mauritians are descended from the original French colonists. Even though this community is the smallest in number, they are important economically to the island.

Descendants of slaves and free labourers from Africa and Asia constitute most of Mauritius' Creole population. It was the original slaves that first introduced the evocative Séga dance, a colourful, passionate, frenetic dance that is now mostly performed for the tourists.

After the British took control of the island in 1810, there were waves of immigrants from the British colony in India. Many Indians came to the islands to work under an indenture system after the abolition of slavery.

Today, Indo-Mauritians constitute about 70% of the total population.

There is also a small but dynamic Chinese community that dates back to the mid-nineteenth century.

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