Culture of Anjouan

The Anjouanese are a vibrant blend of African mainlanders, Malay-Polynesians (or Malagasy), Arab traders and Shirazi Persians.

Distinct minority groups include the Sakalava, Creoles and Antalotes, but the dominant religious group is Sunni Islam, descended from Shiraz Persians. Although alcohol is forbidden and the place wall-to-wall with mosques, Anjouan is not particularly zealous and religious observance is not as strict as it is in many other Islamic countries around the world.

Women dress modestly, but the custom of purdah is not upheld and the majority of women tend to wear traditional colourful saris, or chiromani. Comoran women are particularly fond of a yellowish paste made from sandalwood and coral (m'sidzanou) and applied to the face as either a full mask or in a dappled pattern.

Comoran cuisine is a blend of Indian, Arabic, French and African cooking. Most meals include a combination of rice and meat, enriched with any of the locally produced spices such as vanilla, cloves, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon.