Slave Route Monument - Le Morne
The Slave Route Monument (Le Morne Cultural Landscape) is located at the southwestern tip of Mauritius Island and is often referred to as the "Wild South". For the sake of protection, the landscape has both a core area and a buffer zone. This area is a gathering place for Mauritians from all walks of life, who are deeply concerned about the country’s heritage in terms of history, culture and natural environment.[1]
Slavery is deeply rooted in the history of Mauritius because it was once part of the far-reaching and complex network of the international slave trade. The dark story of hundreds of slaves fleeing the cliffs in order to escape the fear of inhumanity has given us some insights into the plot of the monsters that prevailed in slavery on the island. The monument to the International Slave Route at the foot of Le Morne Brabant is to commemorate the former slavery in Mauritius.
The International Slave Route Memorial was inaugurated on February 1, 2009 to commemorate the 174th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Mauritius. This monument reminds people of the importance of freedom in people’s lives. The purpose behind it is to promote peace through cultural dialogue.[2]
History
Mauritius was once part of the complex and far-reaching international slave trade. It is said that hundreds of slaves have jumped off the cliff instead of facing inhuman terror.
There is another even darker story: it is said that after Britain passed the Abolition of Slavery Act in 1834, a group of soldiers and police went to Le Morne to let out-of-control slaves know that they were finally free. However, when the slaves saw the authorities approaching, they feared that they would be captured and returned to their masters, then climbed to the top of the mountain and committed suicide by landing in the ocean.
According to the American slave historian Pier Larson, in the century between 1720 and 1820, more than 200,000 slaves arrived in Mauritius and Reunion from East Africa and Madagascar ports. These slaves were in 1807. It was illegally introduced after the British banned the slave trade in 1988. Many people died on slave ships heading to their destinations. In the end, the slave trade in Mauritius was inseparable from the deaths of hundreds of thousands of slaves.
Every August 23, the UNESCO International Day to Commemorate the Slave Trade, will commemorate the history of slavery in Mauritius with a view to raising people's awareness of the country's past. Quite relevant is to emphasize the fact that the truth (related to slavery on the island) is usually related to the large island region of Mauritius, and not necessarily to the myths and legends focused on Mount Le Moore Brabant itself. related. Lack of circumstantial evidence.[3]
Resistance to Slavery in Mauritius: the Phenomena of Maroonage
There are many forms of opposition to slavery, the most public manifestation of which is slavery, that is, the escape of slaves from their masters. Fleeing slaves or maroon were first discovered on the island during the Dutch period (1638-1710), and soon after the French colonization of Mauritius in 1721, it became an integral part of the island’s social landscape.
Choosing to live in Difficult Situations
Maroon slaves face very difficult situations, such as starvation, lack of adequate shelter, constant movement, and constant fear of being captured, which can have terrible consequences such as branding, whipping, physical mutilation, and often the death penalty. Although they had to face these harsh conditions while running, and faced severe punishment once captured, many slaves still turned maroon.[4]
External Link
See more about Slave Route Monument here
Reference
- ↑ Lemorneheritage. Lemorneheritage. Retrieved January 31, 2021
- ↑ International Slave Route Monument. Holidify. Retrieved January 31, 2021
- ↑ This monument sits at the foot of a mountain from which legend says slaves jumped to their deaths. Atlasobscura. Retrieved January 31, 2021
- ↑ Le Morne Brabant. Lemorneheritage. Retrieved January 31, 2021