Category: Book Shop

Is it possible to separate art and politics? Is it possible to put aside the environment and the political events surrounding an artist’s career or work? In terms of comic strips and books, it seems obvious that the answer is negative. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the policy of « Zaïrianization » and the setting up… Continue reading ‘Repiblik Zanimo’

BOOK REVIEW   Companions of Misfortune: Flinders and Friends at the Isle of France, 1803-1810   In 1803, Captain Matthew Flinders, returning from an important voyage of discovery, was imprisoned on the then French island of Mauritius. This book tells the story of his 6 ½  year exile and of the men and women there… Continue reading Companions of Misfortune

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… Continue reading Malcolm de Chazal – Histoires Étranges…

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… Continue reading Relics from 1810?

  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… Continue reading Last Years of the Isle of France [1800-14]

  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… Continue reading Across the Kalapani, The Bihari Presence in Mauritius

  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,… Continue reading Village Historique et Cimetière Marin

Book sample: DÉBUTS EN TERRES LOINTAINES (1793-1813) NEUTRES DE L’OCÉAN INDIEN Henri Prentout a retracé la vie de l’Ile de France sous l’Empire et son gouverneur Decaen (1803-1810). Son maître-livre jette une lumière vive sur ce que durent être les activités de Johann Jacob Wiehe durant cette période : éloignée de la métropole, le plus… Continue reading DÉBUTS EN TERRES LOINTAINES (1793-1813)

  Green Conquest: Naturalists and 1810 Among the British soldiers and sailors who arrived in the Indian Ocean in the course of the Napoleonic wars were a few remarkable individuals who were to become renowned as much for their achievements as naturalists and writers as for their military and maritime occupations. By noting their observations… Continue reading Green Conquest: Naturalists and 1810