Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SÉGA!
Séga
is the powerful combination of music and dance originally conceived by African slaves as a diversion from
the injustice of their daily existence. At the end of a hard day in the cane fields, couples danced the
séga
around
campfires on the beach to the accompaniment of drums.
Because of the sand (some say because of the shackles), there could be no fancy footwork. So today, when dan-
cing the
séga
, the feet never leave the ground. The rest of the body makes up for it and the result, when the fire is
hot, can be extremely erotic. In the rhythm and beat of
séga
, you can see or hear connections with the Latin
American salsa, the Caribbean calypso and the African origins of the people. It's a personal, visceral dance where
the dancers let the music take over and abandon themselves to the beat.
The dance is traditionally accompanied by the beat of the
ravanne
, a primitive goatskin drum. The beat starts
slowly and builds into a pulsating rhythm, which normally carries away performers and onlookers alike. You may
be lucky enough to see the dance being performed spontaneously at beach parties or family barbecues. Otherwise,
you'll have to make do with the less authentic
séga
soirees offered by some bars and restaurants and most of the
big hotels, often in combination with a Mauritian buffet.
ARCHITECTURE
Caught up in the need to develop its economy, Mauritius paid little attention to its archi-
tectural heritage until recently. As a result many (bit not all) splendid colonial mansions
and more humble dwellings have been lost under the sea of concrete. The reasons, for the
most part, are simple: rescuing these houses is extremely expensive and even more time-
consuming. Many of the raw materials, such as tamarind wood, are in short supply. It's
easier and cheaper to rip down the old timber frames and throw up brand-new concrete
blocks on the sturdy foundations beneath.
The majority of Mauritians now live in nondescript concrete apartment blocks in the
towns and cities. Middle-class families might possibly afford a seaside apartment or villa.
The coast around Trou aux Biches and Flic en Flac is lined with these uninspiring boxes,
all cheek by jowl. A few more enlightened developers are beginning to add traditional
flourishes, such as
lambrequins
(decorative wooden borders) and bright paintwork. Hotels
and restaurants are also getting better at incorporating a bit of local colour.
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
In 2003 the government set up a National Heritage Fund charged with preserving the
country's historic buildings. The plantation houses dating from the 18th and 19th centuries
have fared best, you'll still see them standing in glorious isolation amid the cane fields.
Many are privately owned and closed to the public, such as Le Réduit, near Moka, which
is now the president's official residence. Others have been converted into museums and
restaurants.
