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Celebrating Chinese New Year in Mauritius

Written on : 24 October 2019
By : Lola Fleury

Mauritius is the ideal winter destination to get away from the grey and freezing cold temperatures. You can relax by the beach, enjoy the island's rich cuisine or explore the magnificent natural spaces. Mauritius is a must for your winter holiday and will seduce you.

Due to the diversity of its population, Mauritius has many traditions, all of which are delightfully varied. Among them, the Chinese New Year, celebrated between the end of January and the beginning of February.

What is Chinese New Year?

What is Chinese New Year?

While the Chinese population represents only 1% of the total population on the island, the Chinese New Year brings together people of all origins, who come together to celebrate this new year of the lunar calendar. Each year is associated with a sign of the zodiac on a 12-year cycle. 2019 was the year of the pig, and 2020 will be the year of the metal rat.
 
Also known as the Spring Festival, this traditional Chinese festival celebrates the Lunar New Year, which follows the cycle of the sun and the cycles of the Moon's phases. On the island, Chinese-Mauritians gather in China Town, Port-Louis' Chinese district, and launch the celebrations. These last until the lantern festival, which takes place on the 15th day of the New Year.

Chinese New Year traditions

Chinese New Year traditions

The New Year's Eve festivities begin with the New Year's Eve dinner, most of the time celebrated with the family. They eat fish and ravioli, two dishes synonymous with prosperity. At the end of the meal, they eat a "gato la cire", made from rice flour or a "gato tie", which has the shape of a tie knot.
 
During the celebrations, red is in the spotlight: colour is known to be the symbol of happiness and to ward away evil spirits. Families also offer themselves red envelopes (called hóngbāo) containing money to keep the pain at bay and bring health to children.
 
On the streets, fireworks are thrown to attract luck. Troops of dancers perform the dances of the lion and the dragon. These are traditional dances, performed in costumes, aimed at attracting luck throughout the year and repelling evil spirits with the sound of percussion and aggressive movements. In the streets of Port-Louis you can admire the movements of the Wuji Cultural Group.

Did you know...

Did you know...

Like all cultural celebrations, the Chinese New Year is based on many traditions. Here are a few:
 
For the New Year, families celebrate the occasion in their homes in order to eliminate the misfortunes of the past year and avoid future misfortunes. Many of the traditions revolve around bad luck, which should be avoided. For example, red envelopes can only contain even amounts of money, because odd numbers represent misfortune. Some gifts are even banned because of what they symbolize: watches and clocks for the passing of time, sharp objects (knives, scissors) to avoid cutting ties, shoes or even a relationship.
 
Come and admire the colours and good humour of this celebration, which is one of the island's main events. Why not discover it from one of our villas? Also, choose the rest of your activities from our selection of things to see and do on the island!

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