Mauritius, an island country off the southeastern coast of Africa, offers a unique perspective on African expression that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else on the planet. The country has, at different times, been colonized by the Dutch, French, and English. Because of this history, as well as its geographic location in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a potpourri of African, Asian, and European peoples, which translates to a diversity of cultures, language, and faiths. This diversity is evident in the island’s cuisine and art, which fuse its different cultures together to create something that is unique to the nation. However, nowhere is the country‘s diversity more evident than in its use of spices. For many Mauritians, spice represents memory, trade, and identity.
DW