Exploring the Pacific Islands through a historical lens, this book covers the journey from the initial settlements to contemporary times. It delves into the cultural, social, and environmental transformations that have shaped the islands over centuries, offering insights into their rich heritage and evolving identity. The narrative weaves together various eras and perspectives, providing a comprehensive understanding of the Pacific Islands' past and present.
Focusing on the plantation colonies of Mauritius, Bourbon, and Seychelles, the book explores their historical significance as naval bases from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Through extensive research using Mauritian, British, and French archival sources, it delves into the conditions of enslaved individuals as revealed by court records, while also examining the mindsets of slave traders and owners. This study offers a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding slavery in the Mascareignes region.
A comprehensive history of the Seychelles, this volume traces its periods of colonisation by France and Britain, the immobile years of the twentieth century, the granting of independence in 1976, and the social changes precipitated by tourism in the late-1990s.