December 6-13, 2008

Kreol culture gives much that is graceful and joyous about Mauritian culture. Colourful houses and sailing boats, vibrant music and dance, the national cuisine, tea with vanilla and rum with herbs and spices, all come from Kreol customs.

Celebrations of Kreol culture will make the tropical island of Mauritius even more colourful this December, as the International Kreol Festival celebrates its third year and becomes the largest festival in Mauritius.

This festival incorporates a week of fashion parades, concerts, conferences, and literary and culinary events to celebrate the vitality of Mauritian Kreol culture. A special day on Sunday 7 December will celebrate Kreol women, their achievements and creativity.

The festival opens with a symposium on Kreol language and culture and ends with a massive, all night concert with 23 bands and over 10,000 people at Les Salines. It is the largest concert of the year in Mauritius.

The International Kreol festival is a great chance to sample the best music in Mauritius with jazz, traditional sega, seggae and even Cuban music concerts at a beautiful old fort, La Citadelle, high above the capital of Port-Louis. Eight major events will be held during the festival.

Sega music derives from centuries-old slave ballads and Saturday night dances on beaches. In recent decades, Sega music, Kreol music, has been reinvigorated by blues, reggae (Seggae) and hip hop influences, but still retains rhythms and melodies that ache for freedom.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Liberty, Equality, Kreolity” and will celebrate these qualities of Mauritius all week long.

Journalists and the general public are invited to enjoy Mauritius during its most festive week.

Striking pictures from last year’s festival are available from The Wren Partnership: 03 9685 2600
 
For general Mauritius information: www.tourism-mauritius.mu

Air Mauritius operates regular direct flights from Perth and Melbourne, with connectivity via Virgin Airlines.

For travel bookings contact your local travel agent or visit http://www.thewrenpartnership.com/Bookings/Mauritius.html