Mauritian Culture

Do’s

• Be respective of Mauritius’ diversity. Many people feel connected to their ethnic and religious communities and may be offended if this is not respected.
• When conversing with your Mauritian counterpart, inquire into the well-being of their family. Family life is considerably important to Mauritians.
• Always greet and say goodbye to people, no matter who they are. It is common for people to exchange a ‘bonjour’ (‘hello’) or ‘bonne journee’ (‘have a good day’) when leaving, particularly to service providers.
• Be considerate about how you present yourself. Modesty is highly valued in Mauritius and conservative dress is an expectation for many.

Don’ts

• Try not to act too demonstratively as it may lead your Mauritian counterpart to consider you as poor-mannered or ‘suavaze’ (‘savage’).
• Do not assume one’s ethnic or religious affiliation. Rather, allow your counterpart to inform you to avoid causing offence.
• Try not to speak in a language that others aren’t comfortable expressing themselves in. For instance, some people might find it hard to understand English or French. If possible, try to communicate in a language that both people are comfortable with.
• Do not make ethnicity-related jokes, especially in public. This is highly frowned upon for many Mauritians.