Julien Durup writes first history of La Digue
WELL-KNOWN historian Julien Durup (left in photo) has written the history of his native La Digue.
The history in a volume of some 250 pages published by the 'Universite de la Reunion' was launched by Durup at the LUNGOS building, Victoria on Monday 14th December at 5pm.
At the presentation, attended by representatives of various organizations and the press, Durup deplored the lack of support from the Government as well as Alliance Francaise for the project.
The book is a tale of a rebel priest, corsairs, planters and a host of other colorful characters who peopled and built La Digue.
This first edition of the book in English and French, covers the discovery, colonization, land concessions, implantation of religion and economic development on the island, the fourth largest in Seychelles- but the third population-wise. It tells also of the origin of some of the present names and places on La Digue.
According to the historian, the island was sighted by French navigator Lazare Picault at the time of the discovery of Seychelles in 1742, but it was not until 1768 that it was named La Digue, after a 360-ton vessel of that name, on an exploratory expedition headed by French navigator Marion-Dufresne. Another boat in this expedition, best known for the discovery on Praslin of the coco de mer, was called La Curieuse, the name of another of inlying island.
First settlement of La Digue was in 1789 when it received a first batch of political deportees (colonists) from Reunion, who were allowed to take one slave with them, but not their families. The 21 men included a rebel priest, Father Jean Lafosse, who officiated at religious services. Most of the deportees eventually left for France, but eight remained on the island; they included names like Payet, Morel and Laporte, from whom many Diguois are today descended.
Later, more political deportees arrived, this time from the metropolis. These were the Jacobins, who did not accept the fall of the revolution and were not prepared to accept a dictatorship or slavery.
The crews from American and British whalers, liberated African slaves and others brought in against their will by the British navy and local pirates, contributed to the population increase of La Digue.
Indian and Chinese immigrants followed, increasing the population further. Two Chinese merchants were Ah-Kon and Ah-Toye. While Ah-Toye later moved to Praslin, Ah-Kon stayed and a fair number of Diguois bear this name today.
Today La Digue is predominantly Catholic, but the first chapel was not built until 1854 by Father Theophile on land given by the Choppy family.
Mr. Choppy noted that since all his workers were of African origin, he had to offer a bottle of rum as a gesture of solidarity in helping his workers pay homage with due respect to their traditions concerning African rites.
In contrast, there was little Anglican activity. As late as 1856, Bishop Vincent Ryan who had arrived from Mauritius for confirmation on Praslin cancelled a trip to La Digue, being pressed for time.
L'Union Estate formed part of the canton of Union. Union for its part acquired its name from the place called “Union “in Bras-Panon on La Reunion. The property was first occupied by three Jacobins. Later two French corsairs came and one of them was Remy Jean Dargent., remembered by Anse Source d'Argent, one of the most beautiful beaches on La Digue.
The famous corsair, Capitaine Jean-Francois Hodoul arrived in Seychelles in 1790. He was the son of a butcher, from La Ciotat, Bouches-du-Rhone, France. After sailing from Mauritius, he eventually settled on 344 acres at l'Union.
Today, one of his descendants, Court of Appeal Judge, Jacques Hodoul, has named his building, which houses the French embassy,” La Ciotat”
According to Durup, there were also Muslims (known as Laskars) in Seychelles in the early part of the colonization; mainly sailors and fishermen, who lived on Marianne, Silhouette and North Island.
The French colonists manufactured coral lime in Seychelles by burning coral in “four a chaux” or lime-kiln. Lime was used for road making and building purposes. An old lime-kiln was known to have been in existence at the Union Estate.
But this extraction of coral was too much and it caused so many sandy bottoms inside the reef, locally known as “fond blanc”.
The author believes that the present cause of sea erosion in La Digue is manmade. He says the two small unnamed little islets, should not have been constructed and along with the poorly built jetty constitute the main causes of erosion on the island.
With the opening of the international airport in 1972 on Mahe, tourism began to arrive on La Digue.
The first guesthouses were “Choppy's bungalows” followed by “Cabanes des Anges”, and “Gregoires Island Lodge”.
At present, there are now over 20 hotels and guesthouses, with an accommodation capacity of 600 beds.
Source: Lenouveauseychellesweekly 12-23-09