Do It Go

For luxury hotels, Singapore is in a dynamite location. An island microstate with a booming economy, Singapore is one of the best city’s in the world to do business. It is also a fantastic location for art. Visual art, music, and performance are all on the rise, and some of China’s most innovative practitioners are working here.

In 2004, a ban was lifted on public funding of performance art in Singapore, and this has resulted in a new wave of young and daring new artists. Mostly coming from art school, they are studied in the contemporary trends of new art, and also devoted to advancing the dialogue among artists within Singapore. This is part of an exciting period of innovation within Chinese art in general. The new generation of Chinese artists is enjoying a rather unprecedented popularity. And, as Chinese citizens are avid art lovers, there is also a great deal of money changing hands over the new works and projects.

One young innovative artist in the Singapore scene, and also coming to her own in international realms, is Chia Chu Yia. Her background is painting, like many artists who move to live forms, and her form is decidedly performance art. Her work takes her body as the object on display, and she uses herself as the mediator between global climate change and her art work. Her performance, then, is decidedly engaged in the display of public identity as a forum to ask elemental questions about the human being in nature in the contemporary world. The body and mirrors, direction and placement, are metaphorical concerns that drive Chia Chu Yia‘s work. Her work, visual art, installation, and live performance, is shown in Singapore and is also traveled to the U.S., Australia, Malaysia, and Peru.

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Given the range of beliefs and customs in Mauritius, hardly a week goes by without a celebration. One not to miss is the Teemeedee, the Tamil, Hindu, fire walking ceremony.  It is held throughout the year to honor to the various Hindu Gods and Goddesses. For the most part the ceremonies are held in December and January. The devotees prepare themselves for this horrifying ordeal by fasting, bathing and praying. They then walk across the red hot coals without any injury whatsoever.  All the time they are being encouraged to get through the fire. There’s lots of cheering and chanting going on. Although this is a local celebration, the majority of the observers are tourists.

The fiery red embers represent the stretched out sari of the vengeful Hindu Goddess, Draupadi. So why is this Goddess so angry? According to the Hindu religion and the Mahabharata epic, Draupadi was the wife of of a chronic gambler. During a rigged game her husband puts her up as collateral for a bet. He loses.  In fact he loses everything he owns ( including his wife). She contests this travesty arguing that no one has a right to own her or use her as payment for  a lost bet.  Despite her outrage, she’s overpowered and is dealt with swiftly and degradingly. The winner of the bet orders her to strip in front of many others and she refuses.  She then loosens her hair and lets it fall down around her to cover her.  Attempts are made to disrobe her and her sari keeps unwinding and unwinding. The more its pulled away the longer it becomes.  It is for this reason that the Hindu Goddess Draupadi becomes ruthless and unforgiving, hence the burning coals. The Hindu temples in Quatre Bornes and Camp Diable (near Riviere des Anguilles) and the Vale (near Goodlands) are noted for this event.

These places are a bit off the beaten path, so if you’re looking for luxury hotels Mauritius, stick to the areas near the coastline. There isn’t much else to do in these areas.

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