Social structure
Social disparities are real and numerous in Mauritius, even if the new generations tend to mix more often and to be less systematically categorized. These disparities are mainly due to the ethnic diversity of the populations. The Creoles, former descendants of black slaves, remain the underdogs of Mauritian society. They are the ones who populate the underprivileged suburbs and swell the ranks of cane cutters, fishermen, trinket sellers... Like them, the Ilois, former uprooted people of the Chagos archipelago, rarely know abundance and survive on small jobs. The Sino-Mauritians, on the other hand, are generally part of the privileged strata of the island. They came voluntarily to Mauritius to open small businesses, and they were able to impose themselves and make their businesses prosper. The work of the first generations allowed the following ones to study, to leave the trade to become doctors, lawyers, engineers... The big families of Franco-Mauritians, as for them, descendants of the first white French settlers, knew how to preserve their financial prerogatives. They still own the majority of the sugar land, manage important companies and hold the reins of the economy for the most part. On the side of the Indians, the majority population, the social hierarchy is much more complex. It is based on a caste system that partly determines the ranks and prospects of evolution. In all cases, it is almost exclusively Hindus who have held power since independence. The Muslim community also has great social disparities, with a bourgeois class made up of the descendants of Muslims in western India and a proletarian class represented by the people of Bengal.
Social issues
First and foremost is the question of inter-ethnic harmony, in which some Mauritians believe only superficially. The demonstrations that took place in 1999 following the death of the singer Kaya rekindled the wounds opened in 1968 when independence was proclaimed. Mixed race is still a taboo value for many Mauritians (despite a notable evolution), and minority populations (Creoles, Muslims, etc.) find Hindu predominance hard to bear.
At the same time, unemployment figures, which show an average rate of 6.5 to 7%, are relative and difficult to assess, as not everyone is registered, with some people preferring to get by on odd jobs. Day after day, the gap widens between ordinary fishermen and active participants in economic development. Young people refuse to work in the cane fields, preferring Western models of life. They study for longer and longer, shop in the malls and stare at their cell phone screens. They have a desire to consume and seek the means to do so.
The problem of drugs, although relatively invisible to travelers, is also growing at an alarming rate, particularly among unemployed young people in the suburbs. Another key issue is tourism. While this booming sector provides capital and jobs, it also brings its share of corruption. Petty crime, while still limited, is on the increase, as is prostitution in tourist areas. The rapid and excessive development of this sector worries the locals, who fear losing a large part of their public spaces, particularly their beaches. Some sites are being denatured, which is hardly positive for the country's image. Some far-sighted tourism professionals admit to fearing a reversal of fortune: Mauritius's Eden could eventually discourage tourists, because it is overbuilt and no longer paradise-like enough.
The challenge of education and training
Education is one of the government's priorities, and is essential to the smooth running of the country. Its development at national level goes hand in hand with the general economic development plan. As a result, education is booming: in particular, good tourist sections have been opened, enabling Mauritians to complete their entire course of study on the island, instead of going to European or South African universities. More generally, education is free at both primary and secondary levels. The large number of schools on the island means that attendance rates are quite high. Too few young people, however, go on to higher education, which is not free. The University of Mauritius is located in Le Réduit, in the center of the country.
Family
Mauritians have a strong sense of family, which they view very broadly. Mutual aid is natural and it is quite common for newly married couples to live temporarily under the roof of the parents of one of the spouses, before having the means to build their own accommodation next to or above (upstairs) the parental home! Family unity is particularly tangible during the inevitable Sunday picnic, a day when public beaches are crowded: all generations meet and reunite, from grandparents to great-grandchildren to uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters. Retirement homes are very rare in Mauritius!
Wedding
Mauritians prepare months in advance, inviting the whole village and all relations. Among the Indo-Mauritians, the ceremonies follow complex and colorful religious rituals that last 4 days, from Friday to Monday. Until now, the legal age of marriage in Mauritius has been 16 (marriage with the consent of the parents, who often initiated the union in the first place), which allowed the hymen of minors. In early 2020, the then Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare announced that the legal age would be raised to 18, in line with international law. This is real progress for all young girls in Mauritius, who will be able to continue going to school rather than being a housewife, and often a very young mother.
