Mauritian Music and Dance: Sega!

Mauritius loves Sega, its unique form of music and dance.  Frenetic twirling dancers, strong percussion, and  lilting Creole lyrics are a visual and auditory delight.  Our friend Janet took us to dinner and a Sega floor show this week, and we had a great time!  It's so contagious, folks in the restaurant were up shaking and spinning, including the kids, who couldn't resist.  Janet even took an impromptu Sega dance lesson.  To hear and see an example of Sega music and dance on the beach, click here.  Sega music and dance: you just can't not be happy!

A Whole Lota Shakin' 

And twirling

and swishing

and fancy steps

It's contagious for all ages!

Janet takes a sega lesson!

Another Election Day Coming

Shelly and I have been busy helping women political candidates step up and run for office in Mauritius.  On this historic election day in the U.S., we are already preparing for local elections in Mauritius next month.  A new law requires each political party to field a significant number of women on local election ballots.  Since our big training program in July, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and the Ministry of Gender Equality, we have been advocating and training women for political office.  A few days ago, we were invited to be present for the MMSD party's all day program training women candidates in public speaking, media relations, and campaign planning.  We were thrilled to have been invited, and the party leadership treated us like honored guests.  With elections for villages and cities just around the corner, we are looking for women to step up and prepare for lives of public service.   

David talks to women candidates in Creole

Shelly the trainer inspiring women candidates

Shelly the guest of honor gets a bouquet!

Women candidates for local political offices

A break in the training

Election Day Butterflies

We voted absentee three weeks ago. Last weekend, to take our minds off Tuesday's election, we went to Ile Vanille, a wildlife park in the southern part of Mauritius where they have 1000 crocodiles, hundreds of tortoises, dozens of monkeys, and bunches of bats.  But the most impressive sight was in the Insectarium.  There, we saw the most incredible mounted beetles and spiders and scarabs . . . but the most impressive of all was the collection of butterflies from all over the planet.  Take a look at these photos, and how magical are their colors and designs.

Here we are, half way around the planet from our beloved U.S.A. on the eve of one of the most important election in decades.  It's a close election, hanging on turnout in every state.  And what do we have??? Butterflies!!!! 

Please get out and vote!

Halloween Fun

Thing One and Thing Two

We've had a great time at two Halloween parties this year . . . dressing up as zany American tourists at one, and wacky Thing One and Thing Two at the other.  Halloween fun is now international  . . . with stores selling costumes!  Hope our friends have had lots of treats and no tricks . . .

Halloween Party

American tourists in Mauritius

Zany American Tourists

Mauritian Indentured Workers Celebration

Aapravasi Ghat's dispensary

Hindu Dancers Perform

Mauritius has a very compelling history of workers . . . first of the slaves brought to work the sugar cane, followed by Britain's elimination of slavery, and emancipation of slaves, followed by the "Great Experiment" of bringing indentured workers to the island.  The arrival of the indentured workers is celebrated with a national holiday each November 2nd as the time when the people who developed the island's infrastructure and commerce first arrived here. The main celebration takes place at the Aapravasi Ghat, the stone immigration depot in the port area of Port Louis, where the immigrants arrived and were processed . . . the Mauritius equivalent of Ellis Island.  Over a million immigrants from British colonies were processed through this facility in the 1800's and early 1900's . . . workers destined to move to and from many colonies.  The bulk of the Mauritian immigrants during this time were from India, and that immigration gives Mauritius demographics its distinctly Indian/Hindu flavor.  The country's President and Prime Minister (below) are both of Indian heritage, as is more than 60% of the population. Aapravasi Ghat is such an important site that it was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.  Shelly and I were asked to attend this year's ceremony as the official representatives of the United States.  We took along our visiting friend, Janet, to enjoy the festivities and appreciate the history of this important site.

Mauritius President (l) and Prime Minister

Dressed to the nines

Playing Gandhi, Who Visited Mauritius

Shelly & Janet in the Old Aapravasi Ghat;
the Mauritius equivalent of Ellis Island

Styling in the Old Immigration Facility

Turtles and Tortoises

Hawksbill Turtle Undersea near Praslin, Seychelles

Hawksbill Turtle Hatchling Making His Way to the Ocean

We have been captivated by the varieties, sizes, and long life expectancy of various turtles and tortoises in Mauritius and Seychelles.  We've visited them in Seychelles islands, on Rodrigues Island, and in Mauritius just about a mile from our house.  Fortunately, they are in protected preserves where the operators are working on conservation and re-population of these beautiful animals.  We've learned that tortoises live on land, and turtles in water. That probably doesn't make us smarter than a 5th grader, but we are doing this life-long learning thing . . .   and we are getting excited to see the Galapagos Island tortoises and turtles, when we move to Ecuador in just 16 months!

Aldabra Tortoises on the Move

Tortoise on a special reserve on Rodrigues Island

Five year olds like Shelly

These guys live to be well over 100 years old!

Halloween in the Southern Hemisphere

SeaKarts in the open ocean

How to celebrate Halloween in the Southern Hemisphere?  Lots of different costumes to wear, and most of them have to do with outdoor activities.  It is getting warmer and warmer here.  At the same time, we can't stop watching, thinking about, and praying for the folks in the Northeast U.S. suffering Hurricane Sandy's devastation.  Quite a Halloween trick, without treats.   

Duffer!

No place like home!

Quads in the hills!

Re-growing Coral Reefs

The Indian Ocean has shown signs of global warming---several years ago water temperatures rose for a sustained period, and some coral reefs were "bleached" ---- a nice way of saying "killed."  This effects the whole ecosystem.  But there is hope.  When we were in Praslin, Seychelles last month, we visited some marine biologists doing work on a U.S. development project to re-grow coral reefs.  The process involves taking pieces of living coral and attaching them to a series of ropes underwater.  In the right conditions, the coral grows and creates new reefs, attracting all kinds of marine life.  Rebuilding an important ecosystem in innovative ways . . . where there's rope, there's hope!

A coral nursery growing on ropes

Can you spot the fish?

Antler coral provides nutrition and safety for some fish

See the sea life

A forest of new coral growth in Mauritius

Coral comes in all shapes and sizes

4 Friends 4 Wheeling

Our friends Bob & Maddie and Tim & Janet came to visit from Albuquerque, and we tried to wear them out last weekend!  First was a trip to Domaine de l'Etoile for a beautiful day traveling through the sugar cane fields and craggy volcanic mountains---the views were spectacular and we had a blast on the quads.  That was followed by a delicious Mauritian meal in a park-like setting.  Great bonding with great friends!