Port Louis was not the original capital of Mauritius which was Mahebourg. Finding that location on the south east coast of the island too windy in 1606 the Dutch decided to move their administration to the better protected haven of Port Louis in the north west coast. Originally known as the ‘Harbour of Tortoises’ the capital got its present name in 1736 under the French in honour of king Louis XV.
Le Caudan waterfront, named after the eighteenth century French developer Jean Dominique Michel de Caudan, is the island’s most notable commercial and cultural centre containing some interesting museums
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From the nearby bus station we headed for the newest of these, the intercontinental slavery museum. Only officially opened last year the museum is housed in the former military hospital.
Still in its very early days the structure now has its walls restored back to their lava and coral stones. In it the museum presented us with some interesting projects. These included
1. Photos of facial moulds of ex-slaves collected by a nineteenth century French anthropologist to help in his investigations into the origin of Mauritian slaves.
2. Excavations of graves relating to old slave camps.
3. Research into the slave origins of selected Mauritian families.
Slavery in Mauritius was finally abolished under British rule in 1835 thanks to the efforts of persons like Wilberforce. There is so much to investigate in this disturbing phenomenon which has existed since biblical times and unfortunately continues into the present age with renewed force.
We are glad, however that a museum now exists on the island to bring this subject to the attention of a wider world public.
From London to La Costa (and Lucca and Beyond) Part Three 