AAPRAVASI GHAT

Built in 1849, the Aapravasi Ghat, whose name means "place of arrival of immigrants" in Bhojpuri, is a former depot designed to accommodate indentured laborers who arrived of their own free will following the abolition of slavery and the need for manpower on the sugar plantations. Classified as a World Heritage Site, the area is divided into two parts: the remains of the site themselves and, right next door, the Beekrumsing Ramlallah interpretation center - a modern, dynamic exhibition center.

The site remains. In strictly architectural terms, they are not overly interesting. On the seafront, not far from the port, stand several small, well-restored rooms with grey walls. It's the symbolism that counts, the painful history inscribed in each stone. Between 1849 and 1920, no fewer than 420,000 indentured workers disembarked from the docks on what is now Rue du Quai, in search of a better life. 97.5% of them came from India, 40% of them from Bihar. The Aapravasi Ghat is the only tangible reminder of this global economic system, which the British introduced in 1833 with the abolition of slavery in the colonies, and first experimented with in Mauritius before extending it to all their territories - resulting in one of the largest migratory waves in world history. On site, you can observe a number of ruins that have survived the passage of time, including those of a hospital, kitchens, common rooms and the 16 steps of the arrival staircase trodden by the descendants of 70% of the country's current population. These vestiges are part of a district strongly marked by history, and essentially made up of old buildings such as the former central post office (still active and partly converted into a museum), the old mill, the former military hospital - another strong place of commemorative character housing since 2023 the Intercontinental Slavery Museum...

Beekrumsing Ramlallah Interpretation Centre. Modern and well-designed, with touch screens to make reading more entertaining or to highlight specific information, this didactic museum retraces the history of the site and of slavery through photos, portraits, videos, period documents, archaeological remains... Some of the artefacts found on the site are collected and displayed here: fragments of amphorae, crockery, buttons, coins and more. The whole is organized into several themed rooms, punctuated by synthetic and/or more in-depth explanations via the Learn More touch screens . These are a mine of information not only about the site itself, but also about the different colonial eras in Mauritius, the living conditions of the hired workers, how the voyage was carried out, the administrative formalities on arrival and so on. For children, interactive desks called Kids Corner have been installed here and there. A must for those who like to travel and learn, the Kids Corner is an essential step towards understanding an important part of Mauritian culture and human history.

It's worth noting that the success of Mauritian engagement led to the migration of over 2.2 million volunteers around the world, notably to the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific and South-East Asia.