Discuss about the Analysis Of Social And Cultural Characteristics Of Mauritius.
This assignment discusses Mauritius as a holiday destination along with a number of facts related with its geography and tourism. Furthermore, my own cultural identity has also been discussed in this assignment in terms of beliefs, values and cultural norms. The analysis of social and cultural characteristics of Mauritius has also been made along with its impact on the popularity of Mauritius.
Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean which is situated approximately 2,000 km off the southeast coast of African Continent. Its location is below the equator on the northern side of the tropic of Capricorn in both the Eastern and Southern Hemisphere (World Atlas, 2018).
A warm tropical maritime climate is enjoyed by Mauritius throughout the year. Two seasons are experienced by the country i.e. cool dry winter during June to September and warm humid summers from November to April. The month of May and October are given the name of transition months in Mauritius. Mean winter and summer temperatures are estimated to be 20.4°C and 24.7°C. 6 to 8 hours of daily sunshine is received by the island (Mauritius Meteorological Services, 2018). The best time to visit Mauritius is from May to December when the climate is cool.
The term mobility explains the manner in which people reach Mauritius. The majority of Mauritius visitors are primarily European, mainly British and French. Other visitors are from United Kingdom, South Africa, Germany, People’s Republic of China and India (Statistics Mauritius, 2016). There are two ways for reaching Mauritius i.e. by air through Mauritius International Airport and by water through luxury cruises from ports like Madagascar, Durban, Rodrigues Island and Reunion Island. Travel time for reaching Mauritius is dependent on the distance of the Mauritius from the respective country of the visitor. The most common route for cruise from Madagascar takes around 4 days or more depending upon the weather conditions. Similarly, flight from France to Mauritius takes around 12 hours. Also, there are a number of ways for travelling locally in Mauritius. These include taxis, cars, buses, bicycles, motorbikes. Even helicopter services are available for local travel. Mauritius infrastructure including the roadways, airways and tele-communications is well-developed.
There are a number of tourist spots in Mauritius which makes it a popular choice for the tourists. Mauritius is rich in unique wildlife, lush forests, rocky mountains, wild waterfalls, crystal clear turquoise lagoons and white sand beaches which makes it a dream holiday destination for the tourists. A number of natural attractions are possessed by Mauritius along with many man- made attraction that allows the tourists to enjoy the sub- tropical climate, tropical flora and fauna, calm sea conditions complemented by multi-cultural welcoming population (Backhouse, 2014). All the tourist spots offer different experience to the tourists.
The atterations include Mauritius Botanical Garden which is famous for its spice garden, giant water lilies and collection of 85 varieties of palms from different parts of the globe. Black River Gorges National Park, IIe aux Cerfs Island, Port Louis, Grand Bassin, Chamarel Park, Trou aux Cerfs, Gabriel Island, IIe aux Aigreettes and Eureka Creole House are the popular choices of the tourists. Moreover, the famous eaterfalls include Exil waterfalls, Chamarel waterfalls, Rochester waterfalls, etc. All these places appeal by their beauty in the eyes of the tourists (Richards, 2012).
The culture of Mauritius makes the country and its people unique. Its culture is based on the diverse population and is expressed through dance, literature, local crafts, music, tradition and religion (Maurer, 2015). Mauritius have a custom of celebrating Day of the Deed when they visit their lost loved ones grave and decorate and clean it. Mauritius has its own traditions. The sunset or the “Sundowner is a holiday ritual and traditional weekend during which they met for enjoying sun’s las rays. Mauritius does not have an official language but English is used for government and administrative work Creole language is understood by majority of the population (Sambajee, 2016). Mauritius does not have an official religion due to its diverse population. Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists from all across the world live in unity in Mauritius by appreciating the diverse practices of all religions (Cleary, 2011). Their beliefs are guided by their religions. However, the majority of population consists of Hindus and Tamils. Common food in Mauritius include rice combined with fowl, fish or red meat. Vanilla tea is also a famous Mauritius drink. The culture and beliefs of people in Mauritius impacts the host-guest relationship in a positive manner.
I am from India which makes my cultural identity different from others. I am a Hindu by religion which makes me belief on the concept that animal and human spirits return to earth to live several times in diverse forms. The movement of souls along the hierarchy is dependent on the behavior. Our religion provides that the path to salvation include devotion, rituals and the way of knowledge (Cultural India, 2018).
The most valued component of the Indian culture is to respect the elders. Family is considered to be of prime importance. Support is provided to the old relatives by Indians even after their marriage. Gods are valued by Indians by worshipping a number of gods and goddesses. We believe in reincarnation. It is also believed that people with good karma are reborn into a higher caste. Bad karma will demote us to being reborn into lower caste or as an animal.
The customs and traditions in India require married women to wear Bindi on the forehead as an auspicious mark symbolizing female energy. People are greeted with a Namaskar in India. Moreover, a respectful act of prostrating before the elders and parents are performed for obtaining their blessings. In the honor of god, we light a lamp every morning and evening in our country.
Indian behavior is guided by their religious traditions and social norms. We remove our shoes before entering the houses or place of worship. Casual clothing is allowed in India but in a decent manner especially for women. Indians normally eat with their hands. There is a liberal use of spices and herbs in Indian dishes. Rice, wheat and pulses are important components of Indian diet. There is a generous use of Chutneys (thick spreads made from vegetables and fruits such as tomato and tamarind) in Indian cooking. Majority of Indians are vegetarian. However, the main dishes for non- vegetarians are chicken and lamb.
India does not have an official language but Hindi is considered to be the official language of the government. Other languages spoken in India include Tamil, Marathi, Telugu and Urdu. The culture of India is unique and the oldest comprising of ancient civilizations including the major religions of the world Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. This makes the culture of India exclusive. Indian culture comprise of a number of influences and styles. Indian festivals can be characterized by enthusiasm, colors, rituals and prayers.
The comparison between the cultural and social characteristics of Mauritius and India provides that there are a number of differences and similarities. Both the places have majority of Hindus which leads towards a similarity in cultural beliefs and values. The host guest relationship is positively impacted by this fact as the guest will feel comfortable due to similar practices. However, communication difficulties may arise as a result of differences in language of both the places. Indians will feel comfortable at Mauritius due to not much difference in food as both the places give emphasis on rice and other staples in their daily food. Moreover, their food is same to a great extent due to same religions and cultures. Also, there are no conditions applicable on men and women in both the countries which are extraordinary. Women in Mauritius also follow the same attire i.e. wear a sari which is followed by women in India. The dress is dependent on the culture and is somewhat conservative. India also allows women for casual clothing but the clothes should not be revealing. There is equal emphasis on customs and religions in both the places. Both Mauritius and India give prime importance to their guests by offering their best. In India, guest is treated equal to god (Thompson, 2015).
The nearly same cultural and social characteristics of Mauritius and India is likely to result in positive host- guest relationships as almost the entire cultural related practices are same. However, Indian culture is still not so open like that of Mauritius which may result in difficulties for them. Family and elders are given utmost importance in both the places which provides that their customs are also same (Alvin, 2016). However language barriers and comparatively modern culture may negatively impact the host- guest relationships. People in Mauritius are friendly and social which will further enhance relationships.
Mauritius has developed gradually with the passage of time. From a low income economy that was dependent on agriculture, it became a middle- income diversified economy. Such development is a result of the expansion made in luxury tourism sector (Soper, Greer, Roland & Knudsen, 2012). The natural beauty of Mauritius fulfilled the conditions of being selected as the holiday destination by the tourists. Now for recreational and leisure purpose, a large number of tourists it the place every year. Its beauty became its plus point which encouraged the Mauritius tourism to further work for development of tourist spots. Therefore, tourism played an important role in the development of Mauritius by contributing to economic growth of the island (Fauzel, Seetanah & Sannassee, 2017).
The special characteristics of Mauritius involve its natural beauty which has resulted in its popularity among the tourists. It is the most popular destination for tourists who look for a holiday on a tropic paradise island. Its crystal clear reefs, beaches and lagoons are famous among the visitors. Its cool climate in summers makes it an appropriate holiday destination. Also, here are a number of beautiful places to visit including Trou aux Cerfs, Ganga Talao, Rochester falls, Crocodile and Giant Tortoises Park, Tamarind Falls and many more.
The unique culture of Mauritius contributes towards its popularity as a holiday destination. The island with multiple religions makes its population diverse and a center of attraction for the tourists (Maurer, 2015). Its religious history and the number of mosques, churches and temples attracts the visitors. A traditional event is organized in Mauritius every year named the Regatta which is popular traditional event (Villanovo, 2018). The natural beauty of Mauritius has been showcased in a number of movies which has increased its popularity.
There have been a lot of changes brought to transport to Mauritius which has subsequently increased its popularity. The increase in the number of visitors to Mauritius is due to the fact that there has been an increase in the number of countries whose flights fly directly to Mauritius International Airport. Now the major cities of the world are well connected with Mauritius such as Dubai, Paris, Delhi, London and Johannesburg. Now various cruises are also organized by cruise companies to Mauritius. The luxury cruise enhance the experience of the tourists which enable them to choose this option for reaching Mauritius. Such facilities have subsequently increased the global mobility to Mauritius (Jaufeerally & Carlsen, 2017).
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded that Mauritius is one of the most amazing holiday destinations with natural attractions. The social and cultural characteristics of Mauritius makes it a preferable holiday destination for the tourists. The respective changes in the global mobility has resulted in increased popularity of Mauritius. The comparison between Mauritius and India on the basis of cultural and social characteristics provide that positive host- guest relationship can be maintained by people of Mauritius due to their friendly and social nature.
References
Alvin, E. (2016). Mauritius Art and Culture: Tourist Guide, History, Environment and Sights. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Backhouse, J. (2014). A Narrative of a Visit to the Mauritius and South Africa. Cambridge University Press.
Cleary, T. (2011). Mauritius – Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture. Kuperard.
Cultural India. (2018). Hinduism. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-religions/hinduism.html
Fauzel, S., Seetanah, B., & Sannassee, R. V. (2017). Analysing the impact of tourism foreign direct investment on economic growth: Evidence from a small island developing state. Tourism Economics, 23(5), 1042-1055.
Jaufeerally, K., & Carlsen, J. (2017). An Analysis of Tourism Trends in Mauritius. In Tourism and Economic Development (pp. 128-139). Routledge.
Maurer, S. (2015). Mauritius: Culture Crossings and its Consequences. Antrocom: Online Journal of Anthropology, 11(1).
Maurer, S. (2015). Mauritius: Culture Crossings and its Consequences. Antrocom: Online Journal of Anthropology, 11(1).
Mauritius Meteorological Services. (2018). Climate of Mauritius. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://metservice.intnet.mu/climate Publications/Pages/Int-Travel-and-Tourism-Year-2016.aspx -services/climate-of-mauritius.php
Richards, A. (2012). Mauritius. Bradt Travel Guides.
Sambajee, P. (2016). The dynamics of language and ethnicity in Mauritius. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 16(2), 215-229.
Soper, A. K., Greer, C. E., Roland, M. M. M. & Knudsen, D. C. (2012). Landscape, Tourism, and Meaning. Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
Statistics Mauritius. (2016). International Travel and Tourism Year 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://statsmauritius.govmu.org/English/
Thompson, E.P., (2015). Customs in common: Studies in traditional popular culture. New Press.
Villanovo. (2018). Culture and Traditions in Mauritius. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://www.villanovo.com/guides/mauritius/culture-traditions
World Atlas. (2018). Location Of Mauritius. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/mauritius/mulatlog.htm
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