The First reading of Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund Bill was done in Parliament yesterday. The first major objective of this important legislation is to set up a Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund Board before the end of this year to manage and preserve the Le Morne site (or Le Morne Brabant mountain and the land at its base) as a cultural, historical and natural site.

The second major objective is to begin the lengthy process to obtain UNESCO?s prestigious status as a World Heritage Site for Le Morne and its peninsula. This can only be achieved when the Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund Board will have submitted a well-written and well-researched technical dossier to Koichiro Mastsuraah, the UNESCO secretary-general, and to the experts at UNESCO?s World Heritage Centre in Paris.

• Le Morne?s significance

The introduction of the Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund Bill into Parliament is a clear recognition by the government of the cultural, natural, and historical importance of Le Morne Brabant. One of the priorities of the Trust Fund Board should be the creation of a protective buffer zone around the base of that mountain in the Black River district.

Such a move will obviously make provisions for future archaeological excavations and other academic research. It should also ensure that the pristine beauty of that mountain is preserved. Hopefully, the Trust Fund Board will make plans for a monument in tribute to the Le Morne maroons and a micro-slave museum in memory of Mauritian slaves.

This is not surprising because recent research in the Mauritius Archives has shown that between the 1730s and the early 1800s, Le Morne and its peninsula served as refuge for some maroons or fugitive slaves. In fact, it is the most famous slave site in Mauritius and forms an integral part of our national history and heritage.

Le Morne Brabant is the epitome of the heroic and relentless struggle for freedom by Mauritian maroons as well as their ideals, which still live in the Mauritian national psyche. It serves as a tangible proof of the existence of a slave-maroon consciousness, which refused to accept colonial domination and life under the shackles of forced servitude.

For several decades, Le Morne has been one of the main sources of inspiration to the Mauritian under-classes in their long resistance and valiant fight against colonialism and racism. It is the embodiment of a long tradition of almost two centuries of maroonage in colonial Mauritius and the cornerstone of our maroon heritage. Its importance as a historical and heritage site can clearly be seen in the UNESCO World Heritage Centre report on Mauritius.

• UNESCO report

Between 26th March and 5th April 2003, Dr Elizabeth Wangari, Chief of the Africa Unit at UNESCO?s World Heritage Centre, and Mr Hadi Saliba, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre consultant came to Mauritius with the mission of preparing a preliminary list of sites to be considered as potential candidates for World Heritage status. In May 2003, Wangari and Saliba submitted a 30-page report to the ministry of Arts and Culture and to the National Heritage Trust Fund of Mauritius. Le Morne Brabant, its peninsula and the Black River Gorges National Park were included on the Indicative list of Mauritius.

One of the major conclusions that can be drawn from this report as well as from the list of important Mauritian heritage sites is that Le Morne is considered as a strong candidate for World Heritage status. Furthermore, the historical and archaeological research by Mauritian and foreign scholars will play a crucial role in this process which could take several years.

• The Maroon archaeology report

Since the 1990s, the research work of Mauritian slave historians has clearly shown that maroons occupied Le Morne during the 18th and early 19th centuries. There are sufficient documents in the Mauritius Archives to support the fact that it was the major maroon sanctuary of that period. Furthermore, in September 2002, the discovery of several artifacts in three small caves, near the summit of Le Morne Brabant, may finally provide the long-awaited and much-needed physical evidence that the maroons did occupy it.

At this stage it should be mentioned that Le Morne Brabant is made mostly of basalt and granite and reaches a height of roughly 555 metres above sea level. The top extends over more than 30 acres. There are many rare indigenous plants on its summit and slopes. There are also three overhanging caves at a height of 500 metres above sea level.

In September 2003, the Report of the Maroon Archaeology Project was completed after 14 months? work. The first part is a historical report of some 100 pages on maroonage and maroon sites in Mauritius, written by Dr Vijaya Teelock, Dr Satteeanund Peerthum, Mgr Amédée Nagapen and several other Mauritian slave historians. The second part is a more elaborate report of more than 200 pages on the Mountain, written by Amitava Chowdhury, an Indian archaeologist based at the University of Mauritius.

Between November and December 2003, this report was evaluated by Professor Dr Nigel Worden of the History Department of the University of Cape Town (SA) and Professor Candice Goucher of the Archaeology Department of Washington State University (USA). Both overseas experts praised it as being an important piece of historical and archaeological research work. Unfortunately, this voluminous and important report has not been made public yet by the government.

• Le Morne?s symbolism

Professor E. Kofi Agorsah, Head of the Black Studies Department of Portland State University (US) and former external consultant of the Maroon Archaeology Project, accurately explains: ?It is the availability of historical records from the Mauritius Archives as well as oral traditions about maroon sites, such as Le Morne, that make them even more important for both their symbolical and cultural values, particularly, for the Mauritian population of African descent. Mauritius stands out as one of the few areas in the Indian Ocean with some documentation and evidence of maroon settlements and activities and there is no reason why considerable effort should not be made to save and preserve those sites. Maroon sites represent freedom. They represent a highly priced symbol of the history of the people of Mauritius.?

Le Morne Brabant Mountain is a heritage site or lieu de mémoire where Mauritian maroons tried to carve a space of freedom for themselves, as far away as possible from an inhumane and oppressive colonial society. It is clear that for many descendants of Mauritian slaves, this mountain stands as a cathedral of freedom with a strong emotional and symbolical meaning. After all, this mountain still lives in their popular imagination and culture and is clearly seen in their songs, stories, social tradition-practice and commemoration ceremonies, specially on 1st February each year.