Dragon Boat Festival ; 端午节 (Duānwǔ Jié) in Mauritius


The Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie) which is an important celebration in China was recently celebrated on Thursday 25th June 2020. The Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese calendar, thus it is also called the Double Fifth Festival. 

Dragon Boat Race


Dragon Boat racing is the most important activity during the Dragon Boat Festival. Do you know the history behind the dragon boat race? The dragon boat race is said to originate from people who race out in boats to try to save a patriotic poet named Qu Yuan who drowned himself in Miluo River or at least to retrieve his body. 



In many countries including Mauritius, a dragon boat race is held for this festival. The race has been held annually at Le Caudan Waterfront since 2005, where around 8 – 10 teams of 25 participants usually participate. During the race, the team would paddle harmoniously accompanied by the sound of beating drums. Teams from Rodrigues Island and Reunion Island are also invited to take part in the dragon boat race and it is said that the winning team would have good luck in the following year. Please enjoy the video made by CCTV on the Dragon Boat Festival held in Mauritius last year. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Dragon Boat race could not be held this year. 

Zong zi (粽子)  


According to the legend, when the body of Qu Yuan could not be found, people dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat the rice instead of the body of the poet. Hence zong zi which is a pyramid shape dumpling made of glutinous rice and some filling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, became the most traditional Dragon Boat Festival food. In Mauritius, the most common zong zi would be made with only glutinous rice and this is eaten with some sugar and peanuts crushed together. However, some people, mostly from cantonese origin, would make the zong zi with glutinous rice filled with meat, beans and other fillings. Unfortunately, the latter zong zi is becoming more and more hard to find nowadays. 


Usually, for the Dragon Boat festival, in between the dragon boat races at Le Caudan Waterfront, a cultural show (dances, acrobatics, martial arts and singing) would be carried out by artists coming from China as well as by our local artists. An event not to be missed! Looking forward to the Dragon Boat Festival next year...

Written by JL

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