Issue16 front cover
"This month is a tomboy with tousled hair, a mischievous smile, mud on her shoes
and a laugh in her voice."*
So it’s March already, the start of spring in the northern hemisphere and for most of human history the first month of the year. The Romans called the month Martius after their god of war, Mars and the warmer weather signified to them the start of a new military campaigning season. The Russian New Year began on the first of March right up until the fifteenth century and the British used the twenty fifth of March as recently as 1752. Many cultures and religions still celebrate their New Year in March, such as the Hindu Ugadi festival which this year is on March 27th. You can read more about it on page 16.
March is a month of new beginnings for Mauritius also. It was on the twelfth of March 1968 that the country gained independence from Britain and on the same date in 1992 that it became a republic, though interestingly, the Constitution of the Republic of Mauritius allows the Judicial Committee of the Queen’s Privy Council to exercise jurisdiction in respect of appeals from the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court of Mauritius.
Well, that’s enough history for one month. Have a great time in Mauritius and be sure to keep your copy of Islandinfo close to hand; you never know when you’ll need it. Oh, one more thing, beware the ides of March!
*Hal Borland
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
