Swaley Mooly delicately rubs the shaving cream on his client?s face. He then opens his old-fashioned cutthroat razor and, with long-practised expertise, runs it along the client?s cheek, leaving a patch of clean, beardless skin. In the narrow, incense-impregnated New Smile Saloon, on Maupin Street in Port-Louis, Swaley the barber is at work.

He started his apprenticeship with his father when he was 13 years old. ?I used to help him during the weekends and school holidays.? He immediately took to it and followed courses in hairdressing before taking over his father?s saloon. ?But he taught me everything about shaving since there are no courses for that.? Swaley took over the 65 year-old saloon 18 years ago and he still loves his job. ?It?s the sort of job that you can?t do if you don?t love it ; but if you do, your clients will never go away dissatisfied.?

If most of his clients come for a shave and a hair-cut, he has his regulars from the neighborhood that have been coming for years, once or twice a week, just for a shave. ?The number of clients who come for a shave everyday has dwindled,? he admits, but this has not discouraged him. One man sitting in front of the mirror claims he has been coming to the small saloon for so long that he has become Swaley?s friend and he likes the relaxed atmosphere where he can ?met enn dialog? while having a complete session: shave, haircut and henna tinting.

Swaley has diversified and now caters for women and children too. He works six days out of seven, including weekends, and admits that his is a disappearing trade. ?I don?t see anyone who will take over the saloon after me??