In line with the work started by Dr. Jean Yves Blot in 1979, a project named “The transdisciplinary delineation of the archaeological perimeter linked with the shipwreck site of Saint Géran in 1744” was introduced yesterday at the University of Mauritius (UoM). The study attempts to describe the spatial interface between the marine surge, the hard-coral environment, the related undersea landscape, and their connection with the ship scatter remains of 1744 using very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery.
Both the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr. Avinash Teeluck, and the Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, and Shipping, Mr. Sudheer Maudhoo, were present on this occasion.
Minister Maudhoo mentioned in his keynote speech that the Saint Géran ran aground on the North East fringing reef on August 18, 1744, killing about 200 passengers. He stated that fishermen in the Port-Louis area had first discovered the shipwreck site in 1966, and that Dr. Jean Yves Blot and his late wife had conducted the first archaeological mission on the remaining shipwreck site in cooperation with the Mauritius Institute and the Mauritius Commission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
He said that the initiative, which the UoM and Nova University Lisbon are working on together, will aid students in becoming familiar with a fascinating and rich form of history that might offer long-term potential for cultural and recreational tourism as well as sustainable development. He continued, “The project gives a superb chance to promote cultural heritage tourism in Mauritius.”
The Minister asked the University of Maine to conduct additional research on shipwrecks and to publish key documents to entice people, particularly tourists, to come and explore such places, so fostering the growth of the blue economy.
He emphasized that initiatives to protect and restore the Republic’s cultural legacy should be started while also calling for communal efforts to restore historical sites at Île de la Passe and Île au Phare.
As for Minister Teeluck, he discussed the factors that connect colonization, ship commerce and commercialization, slavery, and the slave trade to the shipwreck of Saint Géran. The shipwreck of Saint Géran, which had left its mark on Mauritian history and literature, was further illuminated by this endeavor, for which he complimented the crew.
He emphasized the significance of going back in time because the heritage was constantly being expanded with new components. “How we define our future will determine whether we survive,” he remarked. Additionally, he focused on the Bassin des Esclaves in Pamplemousses, the Marché aux Esclaves in Pamplemousses, and the Sattiram (Satron) Building in Sainte Croix, three new national cultural monuments.
For the restoration of the Battle of Grand Port wreckage, the Minister requested assistance and knowledge from the University of Michigan.
