Malcolm de Chazal – Histoires Étranges…...

NEW PUBLICATION: Malcolm de Chazal, Histoires Étranges suivi de Fabliaux de Colloques Magiques, Arma Artis (France), novembre 2010. A new book in French has just appeared about iconic Mauritian author and artist, Malcolm de Chazal. As this book is in French, we provide a summary of the content, also in that language. Présentation de Robert Furlong et remarques introductives du Professeur Irving Weiss. ISBN...

Relics from 1810?

The Powder Mills Badges Radhakrishna Ramasawmy Following a stint of volunteer work with the Dutch archaeological team excavating at the Fort Frederik Hendrik in 1997 and 1999, Van Lanza (see tribute at the end of this article) and the author of this study went on to explore the possible route taken by the British army in 1810 after their landing at Mapou Bay. It was our opinion that such a mass of soldiers marching would...

Last Years of the Isle of France [1800-14]

  Last Years of the Isle of France [1800-14] ‘YOU HAVE KEPT THE PORT AND YOU HAVE GIVEN BACK THE VOLCANO!’ This was French King Louis XVIII’s comment after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. 5 years previously, in 1810, British forces had conquered the French controlled Mascarene Islands in the southwest Indian Ocean. The King’s remark came after learning  that at the Vienna peace conference, the British...

L’Ile aux vacances

  A charming book of poetry in French, published recently in Mauritius. *** THREE SAMPLE POEMS: clapotis, l’eau le soir, nage dans la piscine, le ciel, tapissé de noir, etoiles eveillées, ondines *** SILHOUETTES ROTONDES, CACHALOTS FLOTTANTS, L ILE AUX SERPENT, L’ILE RONDE. *** A L’OMBRE, 30 DEGRES, FORTE HUMIDITE, CADEAUX EPARPILLES PELE-MELE C’EST NOEL!   Book Review: Le Matinal, 19...

Across the Kalapani, The Bihari Presence in Maurit...

  BOOK REVIEW Across the Kalapani The Bihari Presence in Mauritius by Clare Anderson, Sarita Boodhoo, Marina Carter, Saloni Deerpalsingh, Amenah Jahangeer-Chojoo and V. Govinden CRIOS, Mauritius, 2000   A large number of Mauritians of Indian origin are originally from the state of Bihar in northern India. This volume, beautifully illustrated by Indo-Mauritian artist Neermala Luckeenarain, tells the story of...

Village Historique et Cimetière Marin

  BOOK REVIEW Souillac Village Historique et Cimetière Marin Dans le village de Souillac on trouve toujours des anciens bâtiments qui sont les vestiges d’un passé colonial: la gare de chemin de fer, la cour de justice, et l’église St Jacques ainsi que des sites naturels tels que les Cascades Rochester, la Roche qui Pleure, et la plage de Gris Gris. Ce livret incite à découvrir la richesse historique du...