History of Mauritius
Mauritius was discovered in the 16th century by the Arabs, and has witnessed a rich history. Following the Arabs, Mauritius was then inhabited by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English before gaining independence. This Independence came on March 12, 1968 following arduous negotiations that began in 1948. The country is now a mixture of many cultures from Europe, Africa and Asia and this mix and its history is very much reflected in the capital of the island, Port Louis.
Pre-Independence of Mauritius 1
Take a look at the oldest World Map dated 1502 where Mauritius already appears, albeit under the Arabic name of Dinarobin, you will find little trace of North America and certainly no Australia either. The Arabs had discovered this island and used it as a shelter and a means of supply in fresh meat and water. The Portuguese, having discovered the secrets of Arab navigators rounded the Cape and followed their predecessors by landing on the island and calling it "Islo do Cirne" or Swan Island, in 1511. But, they did not build any permanent settlement there.
Post- Independence of Mauritius 1
Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain in 1968, after lengthy negotiations in London, but chose to remain a member of the Commonwealth. The parliamentary system is based on the Westminster model where members of parliament are voted in at general elections held at regular intervals. Following independence, Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, managed to forge a nation out of disparate ethnic elements. In 1992, a historic year for the Mauritian nation, the country assumed the status of republic, with a president replacing the Governor General.
There is no official language in Mauritius, though it is often assumed to be English as parliamentary proceedings are conducted in English. Mauritian Creole, a French based language that grew from the pidgin language developed by slaves in the 18th Century is the most commonly spoken language by the native population, with French generally more widely used than English, with the majority of newspapers and television programs written and broadcast in French. However as a nation composed of a variety of different cultures and religions, many other languages are also spoken, including Hindi, Urdu, Mandarin, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and Bhojpuri.
Sugar 5
Sugar is one of the most commonly used commodities in the world, with countries with suitable climates located in the tropics, some of the largest producers of it. The history of this particular island in the tropics has been bound with the epic story of sugar for 300 years. Yet over 1000 years ago, sugar was already well known to the Indians and Chinese. As a valuable commodity, sugar travelled from the Far and Middle East to the gates of the Mediterranean, transported by Greek and Arab conquerors and introduced to the West by the Crusaders and sold for the price of gold by Venetian merchants in the 19th century.
The Tea Trail 1
Domaine Des Aubineaux, is the name of the family estate built in 1872 and recently transformed into a museum. It is the starting point of the Tea Trail. The guided tour will reveal sumptuous pieces of furniture dating back from the East India Company era. A stroll through the Garden of Camphor Trees with its exotic plants and trees endemic to the island and return to the cosiness of the Tea Rooms, that have been set up in the former Billiard Room, for the morning tea ritual. And then, you are taken to Bois Cheri (literally translated Beloved Woods), for a guided tour of the factory and of the Tea Museum that will inevitably end up in a tasting at the Chalet.