Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Le Morne Mountain in Mauritius achieves World Heritage status
Mournful no more: Le Morne mountain which used to be seen as a place of suffering for runaway slaves has changed to a place of paradise with luxury resorts and spas sprawled around the mountain catering to international tourists. The imposing mountain nestled in Le Morne peninsula is also known as Le Morne Brabant Mountain. Picture: shutterbug.nu
Sunday, July 20, 2008
ON JULY 6, 2008 Unesco's World Heritage Committee added three new sites to its World Heritage List.
The three new entries bring the list to 854 sites in more than 140 countries around the world. One that particularly interested me was the Morne Mountain in Mauritius, once a former slave hideout (not to be confused with the Mountains of Mourne in Ireland!).
I remember seeing the 555 metre high mountain as its rugged shape is a prominent sight in the southwest corner of the island of Mauritius. The mountain juts into the Indian Ocean and was once used as a shelter by runaway slaves and Maroons, through the 18th and early years of the 19th centuries. Maroons are a group of black people descended from runaway slaves, now mostly living in the West Indies.
Protected by the mountain's isolated, wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs, the escaped slaves formed small settlements in the caves and on the summit of Le Morne. The cliffs were thought to be unclimbable, but the runaways managed to scale the peak.
Since those days the folklore connected with the Maroons have made the Morne Mountain a symbol of their fight for freedom, their suffering, and sacrifice.
Slaves came from many countries on the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and Southeast Asia. Mauritius was an important stopover in the eastern slave trade, and came to be known as the "Maroon republic" because of the large number of escaped slaves who lived in Le Morne.
One legend says how Malagasy slaves came there to look in the direction of Madagascar before killing themselves.
Another legend tells that in the early 19th century, the slaves hiding on the top of the mountain did not know that slavery had been abolished. When they saw a troop of soldiers coming up the cliffs, they panicked. Believing they were to be recaptured, the slaves flung themselves from the cliff tops. Hence the name, Le Morne, the mournful one. The mountain is certainly seen as a place of suffering.
The application for Le Morne Cultural Landscape as a World Heritage Site was submitted in July 2003. Also known as Le Morne Brabant Mountain, its summit covers an area of more than 30 acres.
Reminiscent of the Rock of Gibraltar, it is very imposing. Formed of granite and basalt rock, the sides of the mountain are very steep with overhanging rock shelters. The vegetation on the mountain includes indigenous and exotic plants.
Today the mountain is more a place of paradise with luxury resorts and spas sprawled around the mountain. One hotel has effectively taken over the whole Le Morne peninsula and charges an admission fee to non-residents. The peninsula resembles a hammerhead in shape and has fine, sandy beaches. Offshore from the peninsula are the islands Ilot Fourneau and Ile aux Bénitiers.
Inland from the peninsula, the Black River Gorges is an important biodiversity reserve which includes species of great ecological importance that are endemic to Mauritius. This National Park contains the highest peak in Mauritius, the 828m Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire. You can see the rare tambalacoque or dodo tree, the ebony trees, and many species of birds which perch in the trees.
Traveler's or fan palms are very common in Southeast Asia as ornamental trees, and is used as the logo for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
The palm actually comes from Madagascar, which is west of Mauritius, and in both those countries I saw whole forests of these wonderful trees.
Today there are tour companies offering hiking, running and nature walks, and flora and fauna tours. The area has certainly changed since the days when the slaves used it as a hideout.The Brunei Times
The three new entries bring the list to 854 sites in more than 140 countries around the world. One that particularly interested me was the Morne Mountain in Mauritius, once a former slave hideout (not to be confused with the Mountains of Mourne in Ireland!).
I remember seeing the 555 metre high mountain as its rugged shape is a prominent sight in the southwest corner of the island of Mauritius. The mountain juts into the Indian Ocean and was once used as a shelter by runaway slaves and Maroons, through the 18th and early years of the 19th centuries. Maroons are a group of black people descended from runaway slaves, now mostly living in the West Indies.
Protected by the mountain's isolated, wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs, the escaped slaves formed small settlements in the caves and on the summit of Le Morne. The cliffs were thought to be unclimbable, but the runaways managed to scale the peak.
Since those days the folklore connected with the Maroons have made the Morne Mountain a symbol of their fight for freedom, their suffering, and sacrifice.
Slaves came from many countries on the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and Southeast Asia. Mauritius was an important stopover in the eastern slave trade, and came to be known as the "Maroon republic" because of the large number of escaped slaves who lived in Le Morne.
One legend says how Malagasy slaves came there to look in the direction of Madagascar before killing themselves.
Another legend tells that in the early 19th century, the slaves hiding on the top of the mountain did not know that slavery had been abolished. When they saw a troop of soldiers coming up the cliffs, they panicked. Believing they were to be recaptured, the slaves flung themselves from the cliff tops. Hence the name, Le Morne, the mournful one. The mountain is certainly seen as a place of suffering.
The application for Le Morne Cultural Landscape as a World Heritage Site was submitted in July 2003. Also known as Le Morne Brabant Mountain, its summit covers an area of more than 30 acres.
Reminiscent of the Rock of Gibraltar, it is very imposing. Formed of granite and basalt rock, the sides of the mountain are very steep with overhanging rock shelters. The vegetation on the mountain includes indigenous and exotic plants.
Today the mountain is more a place of paradise with luxury resorts and spas sprawled around the mountain. One hotel has effectively taken over the whole Le Morne peninsula and charges an admission fee to non-residents. The peninsula resembles a hammerhead in shape and has fine, sandy beaches. Offshore from the peninsula are the islands Ilot Fourneau and Ile aux Bénitiers.
Inland from the peninsula, the Black River Gorges is an important biodiversity reserve which includes species of great ecological importance that are endemic to Mauritius. This National Park contains the highest peak in Mauritius, the 828m Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire. You can see the rare tambalacoque or dodo tree, the ebony trees, and many species of birds which perch in the trees.
Traveler's or fan palms are very common in Southeast Asia as ornamental trees, and is used as the logo for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
The palm actually comes from Madagascar, which is west of Mauritius, and in both those countries I saw whole forests of these wonderful trees.
Today there are tour companies offering hiking, running and nature walks, and flora and fauna tours. The area has certainly changed since the days when the slaves used it as a hideout.The Brunei Times
Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/07/20/le_morne_mountain_in_mauritius_achieves_world_heritage_status
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/07/20/le_morne_mountain_in_mauritius_achieves_world_heritage_status
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