Mauritius: A wreath-laying ceremony in the context of the commemoration of the 189th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery, observed on 01 February 2024, was held On Tuesday at the ‘Bassin des Esclaves’ in Pamplemousses.
The Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Avinash Teeluck; the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, George Pierre Lesjongard; the Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training, Soodesh Satkam Callichurn; and other eminent personalities were also present.
In a statement, Minister Teeluck highlighted that the ‘Bassin des Esclaves’ and the ‘Marché des Esclaves’ are symbolic places. Underpinning the historical significance of these two places, he recalled that the ‘Bassin des Esclaves’ forms an integral part of the Mauritian cultural heritage linked to slavery as it provides evidence of the past life conditions of the slaves.
He pointed out that slaves from Africa and Madagascar were brought to the ‘Bassin des Esclaves to bathe before being sold in batches of 200 or 300 at the ‘Marché aux Esclaves’.
Minister Teeluck observed that the wreath-laying ceremony at ‘Bassin des Esclaves’ is symbolic since it aims to give due respect to the contribution of slaves in Mauritian history as well as sensitise the population on the dark history of slavery and slave-related practices.
In the same vein, he stated that the Intercontinental Slavery Museum, which has been opened to the public since last year, aims to enable Mauritian and foreign visitors to experience the intense emotions linked to this chapter of the country’s history through the display of documents on the slaves’ culture and music, objects that belonged to the slaves, original copy of the Black Code, and the broadcast of early Sega music.
He added that the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, will be the chief guest for this year’s commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
The commemoration of the 189th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in Mauritius also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the UNESCO Routes of the Enslaved People and the end of the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent 2015-2024.
The Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage will organize several activities to mark the event in collaboration with Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund, the National Heritage Fund, and the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture.
They comprise a wreath-laying ceremony at ‘Bassin des Esclaves’ in Pamplemousses on 30 January 2024; a wreath-laying ceremony at the ‘Monument aux Esclaves’ in Pointe Canon, Mahebourg, on 31 January 2024; and a wreath-laying ceremony at the International Slave Route Monument and a cultural programme at Le Morne Public Beach on 01 February 2024.
Furthermore, a live cooking and culinary tasting of traditional food by Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund in collaboration with Ecole Hôtelière Sir Gaëtan Duval at the Mahogany Shopping Promenade, Beau Plan, will be held on 03 February 2024.
An exhibition cum sale of artworks on the theme ‘A New Iconography of Slavery’ by the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture at Lespas Lar, La Tour Koenig, will be organised on 15 February 2024 followed by the launching of a comic book on slavery by author Stanley Harmon.