In the Mahoran culture, the child's status differs depending on whether he was born and raised in Mayotte or in Europe. In Mayotte, in the rare occasions when he can address an adult, he must address him as "vous", sometimes with his head lowered. That system based on "submissive power" to the elder ones establishes "naturally" adult-child relationships founded on the respect of the eldest. The adult comes first, and the child afterwards. The Mahoran child's unrestreined lifestyle is revealing of the double culture in which he bathes, and is certainly not made to facilitate his school initiation into the French language. The Mahoran child begins by speaking his mother tongue, the mahorian. Next, he starts learning Coran.

Thus, well before he starts fumbling with the French alphabet, the Mahoran child speaks his native language, can read and write Arabic without necessarily understanding it. He is initiated into the 5 daily prayers of Islam and Ramadan. It is only at 7 years old that he goes to the elementary school. But since 1994, some go to nursery schools very early. In general, the Mahoran child is introduced rather early into his future status of man or woman. He learns how to provide for his family's needs by agricultural work or by dealing with the houseworks.

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