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| While the monetary currency is the Euro, the real social currency is the art of politeness, which you will overwhelmingly experience through the sincere flood of smiles and the welcoming “Caribou”, leaving you feeling like a celebrity! |
Karibu Maoré
Did you know that the European Union exists in the Mozambique Channel? If so, you are one of the few who does, for this French overseas territory, Mayotte, composed of two major islands, is merely a speck on the map between Madagascar and Mozambique. Born through volcanic eruptions and situated on ancient Arab and Portuguese trade routes, the tropical jewel of Mayotte, despite its 374km2, attests to a wealth of history far greater than its size.
Believed to have been first inhabited in the 7th century CE, Mayotte is heavily influenced by Swahili coast and Madagascan cultures. The 9th century saws the arrival of Arab and Persian traders, and Mayotte became a sultanate in 1500 founded upon the principles of Islam. This usurped the tribal and matrilineal systems inherent in East African societies and the animist beliefs from both Swahili and Malagasy cultures.
The French cast its gaze on Mayotte after losing its influence on Mauritius in 1814, hoping it would be a vital centre of trade like Malta. While ruled by the Malagasy Sultan Adriantsoly, Mayotte was heavily pillaged and damaged by successive Malagasy and Comorian razzias. Adriantsoly sold Mayotte to the French on 25 April 1841 who officially ruled it from June 1843, making Mayotte French longer than France’s region of Savoy.
Today, the majority languages are spoken by 81% of inhabitants, Shimaoré (derived from Swahili), and Kibushi (the two Malagasy dialects are Kibushi sakalava and Kibushi antalaotsy, whose speakers are spread over twenty villages). The Comorian languages of Shindzuwani and Shingazidja are also spoken widely. The use of French, the politico-administrative language, has been increasing especially since schools were built in the 1980s. Of note, little English is spoken and the tourism sector is poorly developed in part due to insecurity concerns. While the monetary currency is the Euro, the real social currency is the art of politeness, which you will overwhelmingly experience through the sincere flood of smiles and the welcoming “Caribou”, leaving you feeling like a celebrity!
Communicating in Mayotte
The Mahorais will delight in any efforts to speak one of their languages, although French will get you everywhere! Here are some words and expressions to get you by:
As-salamu alaykum – Peace be upon you
Wa-alaykumu salam – Peace be upon you too
Karibu – Welcome
Jéjé – Hello Kwezi – Hello (respectful, to adults and elders)
Jéjé monye – Hello mister, how are you?
Jéjé bweni – Hello lady, how are you?
Ndjema, marahaba – Good, thank you.
Ewa – Yes
Anhan – No
Halo! – Let’s go!
Tafadhali – Please
Marahaba nyengi – Thank you very much.
Hodi? – Is someone there?
Kwahéri – Good-bye
Ritsowonana – See you later
Asubuhi ndjema – Good morning
Uku mwéma – Good night
Suku yangina tséna – See you one day
Insh’Allah – God willing
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| The French cast its gaze on Mayotte after losing its influence on Mauritius in 1814, hoping it would be a vital centre of trade like Malta. While ruled by the Malagasy Sultan Adriantsoly, Mayotte was heavily pillaged and damaged by successive Malagasy and Comorian razzias. Adriantsoly sold Mayotte to the French on 25 April 1841 who officially ruled it from June 1843, making Mayotte French longer than France’s region of Savoy. |
Mahorais etiquette – what to know
Walking along the streets often lined with a rainbow of exuberant tropical flowers, palms and fruiting trees, several things are immediately noticeable.
Firstly, the respect bestowed upon elders, who form an extremely small percentage of the population, and who are greeted effusively, actively listened to, given seats of honour, fed first, whose belongings are carried and needs effectively met.
Secondly, the extraordinary number of children who exude a joie de vivre, spontaneously singing, dancing or playing with a cheeky grin.
Thirdly, the bright traditional clothing and the attention women give to their appearance.
Fourthly, the open body language – with direct eye contact, ready laughter or joke and the obligatory greeting of “Caribou” or “Bonjour”, you won’t pass by unnoticed.
If you have the great honour of living a while in Mayotte, you will also notice the profound musada or sharing and caring in daily life, born of a communal society, as well as the limitless gratitude and fatality inherent in Islam.
In his book The Wisdom of my Ancestors (2012), Haladi Madi collects Mahorais proverbs to preserve their linguistic value but also to highlight how the mentality of Mayotte is partly anchored within the Bantu oral system of social education.
Mahorais society is stratified by age, wealth and origins, and at the top are the chiefs who exert authority and notables who hold important roles in the villages, and who are deferred to.
The Koranic school teachers, fundis, are also highly respected. As in all African societies, elders are viewed as living libraries, possessing wisdom and practical know-how; an elderly man is politely called a bakoko and an elderly woman a koko.
While there are plenty of proverbs concerning the roles and stereotypes around chiefs and notables, adults, men, women, children and illegitimate children, there are 623 alone relating to virtue and behaviour.
The way Mahorais speak, dress, eat and relate to others is observed and commented upon. Behaviour is taught at home and almost all children will attend Koranic schools, shionior madrasse, to attain the respect, adabu, required to integrate correctly into society.
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| When invited to a Mahorais home, you are not required to bring any gifts. Instead, you should to bring a large shopping bag called a kalaga so you can take food and drink home with you! |
Take-home messages:
· Always greet people, even strangers passing you on the street and especially those who make eye contact. A simple “Salam” or “Bonjour” will suffice.
· When speaking to people, remove your sunglasses as eye contact is essential.
· When invited to a Mahorais home, you are not required to bring any gifts. Instead, you should to bring a large shopping bag called a kalaga so you can take food and drink home with you!
· Take off your shoes before you enter a person’s home, village shop or mosque. Kindergarten or primary school aged children remove their shoes before entering classrooms. In mosques, wear long, loose clothing and women should wear a kishali, or scarf. The highly tolerant Sunni Shafi’i school of Islamic jurisprudence is practiced.
· Wash your hands before and after eating, and avoid using your left hand to eat. Thank the host for the food and say “Bismillah” before you eat to show gratitude. Elders are served first.
· While cutlery is offered everywhere, many locals prefer to use their right hand to eat.
· When visiting Mayotte, tourists can wear short dresses, t-shirts, shorts and sandals, and bathing suits and bikinis are only acceptable at the beach.
· While the Mahorais are very accepting of foreigners’ attire, when invited to a Mahorais home, men should wear trousers and women a long dress or long pants, especially during the month of Ramadan, when attire becomes more important.
· If invited to a foutari, the breaking of the Ramadan fast, foreigners are not expected to fast from dawn to dusk. However, it is common that wazungu (literally: white-skinned people) and other foreigners who live in Mayotte fast during Ramadan.
· Visitors and returning Mahorais residents are often greeted at the airport with floral necklaces made principally with jasmine and other flowers such as bougainvillea, ixora and palm leaves are often added.
- These floral necklaces are also given at specific work events, celebrations and farewells. The more floral necklaces the person wears, the more important he or she is.
- When invited to the Mahorais seaside social event vulé, bring food and drinks that you would like to share, for all items become communal.
Attire is relaxed and Mahorais men and women may wear shorts and t-shirts.
Arrive early to help your hosts find the best spot on the beach to set up the braziers and to prepare the food. You can marinate the fresh fish and chicken wings called mabawas, skewer the beef, fish or chicken, cut the taro, breadfruit, manioc and green bananas for frying or grilling and to grate the green papaya, onions and tomatoes for the salad. Bottled water, fresh juices (lime, tamarind, passion fruit, sakoua, papaya, corossol, pineapple, mango…), soft drinks and beer are often consumed in moderation.
·When invited to the marriage event called a manzaraka, men will be required to wear a shirt and trousers or a kanzu and women the traditional dress salouva. Men and women will be separated for the meal, songs, dances, the presentation of the bride, groom and the gifts. Invitees should bequeath a minimum of €50 to the wedding party. A kalaga is essential, as each guest will be required to bring home an impressive amount of food and drinks!
·Don’t refuse an invitation to visit the malavouni of a Mahorais host, for the Mahorais have a profound relationship with their land. Most Mahorais will have a plot of land to grow their own fruit and vegetables and you might find yourself barefoot cutting pineapples, jackfruit, and bananas with a locally-made shomboor machete, pulling taro and manioc from the ground, plucking ambrevades or mangoes, chewing on sugar cane, and learning to cut coconut husks off to drink their refreshing young juice.
·Traditional dances, songs and boxing can happen just about anywhere, anytime, for any reason: debaa, m’biwi, mourengé, chigoma, daïra… It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, your most important accessories will be your smile and interest to join in, dance, play instruments and have fun!
Mayotte is an intriguing multicultural mix of Mahorais, Malagasy, Comorian, Indo-Pakistani Karane people, wazungu, Reunnionais and African asylum seekers from the Great Lakes region, who all influence the culture and society in specific ways. As the Mahorais say, “Mutru kalishi ya hale mana apara piya”: One doesn’t abandon the ancient for the new. You can thus be assured that you will experience a traditional lifestyle, warmth, curiosity and hospitality in this exquisite jewel of French ultra-periphery that won’t leave you unmoved.
🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor for Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia
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