Our Planet’s Landmarks Series #2
There are two recognisable natural tourist spots in Mauritius – Crystal Rock and Le Morne Brabant (see the photo above). While Crystal Rock is just a fossilised coral reef, Le Morne Brabant Mauritius is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for an unfortunate reason. Read on for details.
Le Morne Brabant Mauritius
Le Morne Brabant is a peninsular cliff located at the South-western tip of Mauritius. Its 30-acre summit is 1824 ft above sea level. There are many caves and overhangs on its steep slopes. This cliff is named after a Dutch ship, Brabant, that ran aground here in the late 18th century.
During the early 19th century, the British took charge of the island after it remained a colony of the French for around 100 years. The island’s main agri-produce were sugarcane and coffee – both labour intensive cash crops.
It was during that period the island saw a surge in the influx of slaves and indentured labour – most of them from India.
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As was expected, these slaves were treated less than fairly. To escape the daily abuse, they would often take refuge on Le Morne Brabant. Given its topography, it was not always easy for the slave masters to locate them. Net-net, this monolith was a hideout for slaves who would run away from their masters.
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When the Abolition of Slavery Act got passed in 1835, the police went to Le Morne to give the good news to the slaves. They went to tell them they were free courtesy the newly-passed statute.
The slaves misunderstood the intent. They scrambled up the cliff. But seeing they were still being pursued, hundreds of them jumped off the cliff and committed suicide!
Though there is no written record or corroboration of this unfortunate instance, UNESCO decided to inscribe Le Morne Brabant as a World Heritage Site in 2008.
Today, tourists flock the site. But not many of them are aware of the sad history of this landmark!
