Mauritius Culture, Arts & Society News
A melting pot of African, Indian, Chinese and European influences, Mauritius has a vibrant cultural life. Explore coverage of Sega music and dance, Creole heritage, Diwali, Eid and Chinese New Year celebrations, arts festivals, prominent personalities, and the social issues shaping Mauritian society.
97 Culture stories · Updated continuously · MauritiusNews.com
British Veteran Ends 28-Year, 50,000km Walk Around the World
A former British soldier has done what almost no one in history has managed: he has walked around the world. Karl Bushby arrived back in Lon…
Bishop Durhône Calls Catholics in Mauritius to Pray for Peace
The Bishop of Port Louis, Monseigneur Jean Michaël Durhône, has called on the island's Catholic community to dedicate time to prayer for pea…
Le Défi Quotidien Thursday Edition Available Online Now
Le Défi Quotidien, one of Mauritius's leading French-language daily newspapers published by Defi Media Group, has made its Thursday 15 Octob…
Le Défi Quotidien Wednesday 14 October Edition Now Online
Le Défi Quotidien, one of Mauritius's leading daily French-language newspapers published by the Defi Media Group, has made its Wednesday 14 …
Mauritius Temples Asked to End Durga Puja Prayers by 8pm Tuesday
The Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation (MSDTF), the body that oversees many Hindu temples and religious organisations across Maurit…
Le Défi Quotidien Digital Edition: Tuesday 13 October
Le Défi Quotidien, one of Mauritius's leading French-language daily newspapers published by the Defi Media Group, made its Tuesday 13 Octobe…
Riche-Terre Muslim Cemetery: Burials Now Permitted Until 5pm
The Muslim cemetery in Riche-Terre, a locality in the north of Mauritius near Port Louis, has been granted permission for burials to take pl…
Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Lung Nodule Surgery 'Within Days'
Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday, 11 October, that he will undergo surgery "within the next few days" to remove a nodule detected on his lun…
Paris's Oldest Covered Market Devastated by Overnight Fire
Paris's oldest covered market, the Marché des Enfants-Rouges, was devastated by a fire that broke out in the early hours of Monday, 12 Octob…
Li Kwong Ken Kwet Cheong: The Man Blending Business, Song and Culture
Mauritius has always been a mosaic of cultures, languages, and traditions, and few individuals embody that diversity more vividly than Li Kw…
Durga Puja in Mauritius: Ten Days of Prayer, Fasting and Devotion
Durga Puja, one of the most significant Hindu festivals in Mauritius, began on Sunday 11 October, ushering in ten days of fasting, prayer, s…
Durga Pooja in Mauritius: Nine Days of Fasting, Prayer and Devotion
Each year, thousands of Mauritians of Hindu faith observe Durga Pooja, one of the most significant festivals in the Hindu calendar, across n…
Mauritius Loto Jackpot Climbs to Rs 70 Million This Week
Mauritius lottery players have a fresh reason to try their luck this week, as the Loto jackpot has rolled over to an estimated Rs 70 million…
Bollywood Stars Udit & Aditya Narayan to Headline Divali 2026 in Port Louis
Mauritius is set for a spectacular Festival of Lights this year, with the government announcing a high-profile national Divali celebration o…
Ammoru Pandaga: Rivière du Rempart's Grand Hindu Festival Explained
Every year in the coastal district of Rivière du Rempart, in the north-east of Mauritius, thousands of devotees gather to celebrate Ammoru P…
Is the West Stealing Eastern Wisdom, or Just Misusing It?
There is something quietly unsettling about a Silicon Valley executive starting his morning with a meditation app rooted in Buddhist practic…
Mauritius Times ePaper Edition: Friday 2 October 2026
The Mauritius Times, one of Mauritius's longest-running independent English-language newspapers, has released its Friday 2 October 2026 edit…
Mauritius Loto Jackpot Climbs to Rs 60 Million This Week
Mauritius lottery players have fresh reason to try their luck this week, as the national Loto jackpot has rolled over to Rs 60 million, a si…
Divorce in Mauritius: Why More Couples Are Choosing to Walk Away
For generations, divorce in Mauritius carried a heavy stigma, a social failure, a family shame, something to be avoided at almost any price.…
Subramania Bharati: The Tamil Poet Who Still Speaks to Mauritius
A Poet the World Has Yet to Fully Discover In a guest blog published by Le Défi Media, prominent Mauritian lawyer and Senior Counsel Rama V…
Camp Caval's New Hindu Temple Nears Completion With Artistic Finishing
A landmark moment is approaching for the Hindu community of Camp Caval, a village in the Savanne district in the south of Mauritius. The Kan…
Durga Puja 2025: Nine Nights of Devotion in Mauritius
Every year, Mauritius's Hindu community observes one of the most spiritually significant festivals in the Vedic calendar: Durga Puja. This y…
Mauritius Home & Garden Clearance Fair Returns With Big Discounts
Mauritius shoppers looking to upgrade their homes without breaking the bank have a timely opportunity: the Grand Salon du Déstockage de la M…
Mauritius Declares Monday 9 November a Public Holiday for Divali
Mauritius will observe a public holiday on Monday, 9 November, in celebration of Divali, one of the most important festivals in the country'…
Frequently Asked Questions
What languages are spoken in Mauritius?−
Mauritius is multilingual. English is the official language of parliament and business; French is widely used in media and education; Mauritian Creole (Kreol Morisyen) is the mother tongue of most Mauritians; and Bhojpuri, Mandarin, Tamil, and Telugu are spoken in various communities.
What is Sega music?−
Sega is the traditional music and dance of Mauritius, originating from African and Malagasy slaves. It features the ravane drum, maravanne shaker, and triangle, with rhythmic dancing and call-and-response singing. UNESCO recognised Mauritian Sega as intangible cultural heritage in 2014.
What are the main festivals celebrated in Mauritius?−
Mauritius celebrates a rich mix of cultural festivals: Diwali (Hindu festival of lights), Eid ul-Fitr (Muslim celebration), Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Maha Shivaratri, one of the largest Hindu pilgrimages outside India, drawing 400,000+ devotees to Grand Bassin each year.
What is the ethnic makeup of Mauritius?−
The Mauritian population is one of the world's most ethnically diverse. Indo-Mauritians (of Indian descent) make up about 68%, Creoles (of African/Malagasy descent) about 27%, Sino-Mauritians about 3%, and Franco-Mauritians about 2%. This diversity shapes the island's food, religion, and cultural life.