What's so French about Mauritius?
1. Language
The cheerful jumble of French, Creole, Chinese and Hindi spoken by shoppers and traders at Bazaar Port-Louis, the capital's market, tells a story of Mauritius far richer and more piquant than anything found in a history book.
Surely, the command of the French Language by most Mauritians is the foremost feature that bridges the gap to being French. While Kreol Morisyen (Mauritian Creole) is the most spoken language on in Mauritius, most of the literature is written in French, although many authors write in English, Bhojpuri, and Morisyen, and others such as Abhimanyu Unnuth in Hindi.
Many Mauritians are multilingual and are used to hearing various languages spoken at one time. Moreover, Mauritians tend not to be offended if they hear a language they do not understand spoken in public.
2. Gastronomy
The cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Creole, Chinese, European and Indian influences. It is common for a combination of cuisines to form part of the same meal.
Mauritius has had strong ties with French culture throughout its history and was left with a very French "savoir vivre". Strong ties with the French (who ruled the island from 1710-1810) has meant that even today French dishes such as bouillon, tuna salad, daube and coq au vin are popular, while Indian workers who migrated to Mauritius brought their cuisine with them, making curries, chutney, rougaille (tomato paste that's popular especially when served with fish) and pickles popular especially when given a unique Mauritian flavor. As years passed by, some have been adapted to the more exotic ingredients of the island to confer some unique flavor.
3. Greetings
In Mauritius, greetings may vary depending on the person’s ethnic background. The most common greeting when people are meeting for the first time is a firm handshake. Once people are familiar with one another, they will typically greet each other with a ‘la bise’ (the French greeting of a kiss on both cheeks).
Many Mauritians, particularly those from traditional Muslim families, may feel uncomfortable shaking hands with women. In this instance, people tend to smile and offer a nod of acknowledgment politely. This greeting may be warmer if the two people are familiar with one another. Among Hindu Mauritians, particularly those living in rural areas, a common form of greeting is to press the palms of one's hands together in front of the chest and say 'Namaste' ('I greet the god within you'). This is sometimes accompanied by a nod of the head or a bow depending on the status of the person you are greeting. Muslim Mauritians may informally greet each other with the statement ‘Salaam-Alaykum’ (‘May peace be with you’).
