Cultural Diversity in Mauritius: Myth or Reality? Essay

Many people tend to dab the Mauritian culture, as a uniform one. Some deny the cultural diversity in the island evolving harmoniously. In this regard, unity and diversity are symmetric words. Constituting of ethnic groups and world religions like Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, co-existing with Hinduism and myriad spoken languages, the islands people avow and practice varied faiths which are reflected in our customs, rituals, norms, and festivals. Despite the contrasting way of life, the citizens remain essentially united. As Mauritians, we love to separate that Mauritius is a twinkling model of unity in diversity. But then, we tend to do a megabucks of things which can only undermine the unity of this country.Unfortunately, diversity is used by legion(predicate) opportunistic politicians for luxuriant purposes. After 45 years of independence, ethnicity remains the stratifying factor. Multicultural policies through funding religious groups are considered as empowering minority c ommunities to voice out. In authorizedity such policies have empowered not individuals but their leadership who owe their status and influence mainly to their affiliation with the government which benefits in its turn by manipulating the nation and projecting their conventional image to the public through such platforms. At the 473rd anniversary of Maharana Pratab Singh and the creation of the Indian state of Rajasthan on Sunday 19th May 2013 at Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, Phoenix the Prime curate asserted that Diversity should not be divisive. We are from different parts of India, but we are in the same boat. We should not make any difference between us, as reported by the publisher Le Dfi Quotidien.As a remedy, several solicit a secular state- a crystallise separation between religion and the state, which honestly, is not really the case in Mauritius who has lived an enigmatic development of its governmental history since the pronouncement of the United Nations, on the c ase furnished by Resistans ek Alternativ militating against the exigency for a vista of general elections to mention his ethnic belonging. Recently in the limelight, the Best Loser System was designed to permit match ethnic and political representation. Boasting about being one nation, one people, what is it about this balanced ethnic and political representation? Across severaldecades since independence, havent we evolved and gained enough maturity to oxidise our minority or majority complex? If this does not show the erosion of that sense of in concertness in a culturally diverse society, then we wonder what it means. Would a secular state mean that there get out no longer be public holidays based on religious festivals, something that exist nowhere else in the world? Would we finally live in a flourishing democracy?Mindset. The Mauritian psyche is customary to doubt the unfamiliar and see external affable groups as a menace. This demeanour is a real threat to national integ ration, peace, progress and development. This mentality is derived from fear, suspicion and mistrust in the country. To the newest generations, the 1999 riot in relation back to Kayas death could be the reason that took a tragedy to uncover the truth of existing common tension. Pretending that all is well in the society means doing very little to instil social cohesion. How can we expect a progressive change when the communal mentality is being perpetuated across generations? authorized reform is one thing but changing the mindset of 1.3 million of people implies kissing impossibility. Nevertheless, many are optimistic and try to manoeuver the next generation through example and education.Despite all, for some, Mauritius has a marvellous timeline of peaceful cohabitation. We carry not go back at the time of independence where we stood together as a one nation to steal a glance of that. April 2013 marked the flash floods which unnatural Mauritius causing large-scale disasters. T he Mauritian solidarity and unity that we were to witness in providing the huge aid to the victims in need were indeed commendable, proving that we may have different religions and skin complexions, but we all belong to one man race. Alfred Adler said There is a Law that man should love his neighbour as himself. In a few hundred years it should be as natural to mankind as breathing or the upright gait but if he does not learn it he must perish. Thus it seems exigent that all Mauritians should bury their petty differences and work collectively. We must create the foundation of a new Mauritius. We cannot be satisfied with the partly biased idea of a harmonious society, pressurising us to believe in a stable nation. Common has it become in this interest-minded world to veil sinister intentionsbehind this masquerade. Unity in diversity is not a slogan. It is a way of life.But will the forthcoming generation hire this way of life?