Insight On Mauritius

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's September 2001

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INSIGHT ON MAURITIUS It is called "Paradise on Earth." When scanning the globe, it is difficult to find; this island is but a mere spec in the Indian Ocean. Located around 800 kilometres east of Madagascar and around 100km east of the continent of Africa, Mauritius offers the perfect tropical holiday.

One performance that will definitely catch the eye is the national dance of the island. When they arrived as slaves, the African and Malagasy people brought their religions, cultures, and a determination to enjoy life to the full. The most exuberant expression of this was the tribal dance. Today it is called the "sega" and is very popular amongst the various Mauritian communities. This foot-shuffling, body gyrating, downright erotic dance is generally performed on the beach to the rhythm of Latin American, Carribean, and African pop. Dressed in colourful floral flouncy skirts and short tight tops, exposing their bellies, the girls tease the men.

The latter are dressed in tight stripy breeches and dance to the sounds of the Tamborine, guitar, "tantom" bow and ravane (a hand held drum made from deer skin).

Visitors have the chance to take part in these performances held regularly at most holiday resorts. Other famous activities include all kinds of water sports, tours to attractive sites, and hikes up mountains and down valley and gorges. These forest parks are home to stags, deer and monkeys, as well as the native Mauritian kestrel and rare pink pigeon.

Backed by the "Moka" mountain range at the northwestern end of the island, the burgeoning capital, Port Louis, is a city that bustles with big city commercial activity. A good place to get the feel of popular culture is the Port Louis market which is situated opposite the harbour. In addition, it has different section devoted to...