Islam in Mayotte
Encyclopedia
Islam is the faith of the majority of the residents of the island of Mayotte
with 97% as muslims and 3% Christians. 85,000 of the total 90,000 inhabitants of the island are Comorians. The Comorians are a blend of settlers from many areas: Iran
ian traders, mainland Africa
ns, Arab
s and Malagasy
. Comorian communities can also be found in other parts of the Comoros chain as well as in Madagascar
.
Although young people wear Western style clothing, traditional clothing is still common among adults. While in town, a Comorian man will typically wear a white cotton garment and a knee-length shirt, sometimes with a white jacket and white skull cap. Out of town, a long cloth sarong (colorful skirt) is worn. Most women wear long, colorful cotton dresses with bright shawls as face coverings. Others prefer black robes that cover their heads.
Polygamy has been an acceptable practice among the Comorians. However, on March 29, 2009, 95% of Mayotte citizens voted to become the 101st department of France. Due to the vote becoming effective in March 2011, the island is required to bar all forms of polygamous unions and other forms of practices that "contradict with French culture", including child marriages. At the present time, polygamous marriages are presumed to have been stopped being issued by the government.
Traditionally, the Comorians have been very resistant to any kind of religious change. The practice of Islam in Mayotte has been described as tolerant.
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
with 97% as muslims and 3% Christians. 85,000 of the total 90,000 inhabitants of the island are Comorians. The Comorians are a blend of settlers from many areas: Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian traders, mainland Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
ns, Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s and Malagasy
Malagasy people
The Malagasy ethnic group forms nearly the entire population of Madagascar. They are divided into two subgroups: the "Highlander" Merina, Sihanaka and Betsileo of the central plateau around Antananarivo, Alaotra and Fianarantsoa, and the côtiers elsewhere in the country. This division has its...
. Comorian communities can also be found in other parts of the Comoros chain as well as in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Although young people wear Western style clothing, traditional clothing is still common among adults. While in town, a Comorian man will typically wear a white cotton garment and a knee-length shirt, sometimes with a white jacket and white skull cap. Out of town, a long cloth sarong (colorful skirt) is worn. Most women wear long, colorful cotton dresses with bright shawls as face coverings. Others prefer black robes that cover their heads.
Polygamy has been an acceptable practice among the Comorians. However, on March 29, 2009, 95% of Mayotte citizens voted to become the 101st department of France. Due to the vote becoming effective in March 2011, the island is required to bar all forms of polygamous unions and other forms of practices that "contradict with French culture", including child marriages. At the present time, polygamous marriages are presumed to have been stopped being issued by the government.
Traditionally, the Comorians have been very resistant to any kind of religious change. The practice of Islam in Mayotte has been described as tolerant.