An overview of changes to Seychelles' cultural heritage |18 April 2023

The International Committee for Monuments and Sites (Icomos) has dedicated April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites. Each year, the day is celebrated worldwide to commemorate structures, architecture, events and sites that have historical and cultural heritage importance to social groups, communities or nations. It is celebrated through various activities to promote awareness of cultural diversity.

For 2023, Icomos has dedicated ‘Heritage Change’ as the theme for the Heritage Day activities.

In line with the theme ‘Heritage Change’, the Heritage Research and Dissemination Section of the Seychelles National Heritage Resource Council presents a brief overview of changes in a few cultural heritage sites in Seychelles. Firstly, we will define heritage.

Heritage is perceived by academics to be everything that attributes to a society’s past such as sites, landscapes, artefacts, buildings, expressions and practices which are passed on from one generation to another as national inheritances. Things that we discern as being at risk of disappearing or threatened which we chose to arrange, manage and maintain as bequests through disciplines, institutions, regulations and social transactions, for preservation for future generations. It is also believed that cultural heritage safeguarding enhances the social value of a place by boosting the well-being of individuals and communities, reducing social inequalities and nurturing social inclusion.

The changes to monuments and heritage sites over time may be due to a lack of maintenance, natural disasters caused by climate change or human interventions. But most of the time, significant changes are due to human interventions. This article will focus on three monuments and cultural heritage in Seychelles that have incurred changes over time.

Over the past decades, the tourism sectors in Seychelles have shifted from sun, sand and sea destination to natural attractions and expressive cultural destinations. The Domaine de Val des Près, La Plaine St Andre and the Mission Lodge Ruins, through human interventions, have undergone numerous innovative projects to foster tourism and attract the population and visitors to experience the culture and heritage of Seychelles.

The Domaine de Val des Près

The Domaine de Val des Près (DVP) plantation house at Au Cap, Mahé, was built around 1870 by the Bailey family. It was an agricultural plantation producing cinnamon, coconut and patchouli oils and other agricultural products. There are remnants of the distilleries today that still stand as ruins. Fortunately, one distillery has been renovated and is operating as a factory under the name of ‘Coco de mer Cosmetics’. The property has been transformed into a touristic attraction. The plantation house is the main allure by its traditional architecture. It showcases a museum, displaying the traditional setting of a plantation house in Seychelles during the colonial era. Its entrance is adorned by the art and craft kiosks which give local artists and craftsmen the opportunity to sell their works and offer visitors the possibility to buy souvenirs while on vacation; while the ‘Pommes Cannelles’ restaurant offers traditional dishes and the worker’s house, better known as ‘Lakaz Rosa’, offers visitors a taste of a plantation worker’s house.

The La Plaine St Andre plantation house at Pointe aux Sels, Mahé currently known as the ‘Takamaka Rum Distillery’ was built around 1792 and served many functions. Originally operated as a centre for agricultural activities which is evident by ruins of adjoining buildings, such as copra kiln and mill, sugar cane mill, stores and shed for canoes, a boat repair yard, car garage, and eco-museum, it is presently operated as a rum distillery, restaurant and gallery. During the transformation of the site, the developer has tried to keep some original elements of the site. Adjoining ruins have been renovated, and aspecs of agricultural production and activities such as copra, cinnamon, patchouli have changed into small vegetable, medicinal plants and flower gardens and we are assuming that the sugar cane mill is represented by the rum distillery.

Venn’s Town Mission Ruins Cultural Heritage site

Yet, the Venn’s Town Mission Ruins Cultural Heritage site at Sans Souci, Mahé has a different context than that of Domaine de Val de Près and La Plaine St Andre. It was opened in 1876 after an agreement was signed in 1875 between the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and the British Government as a school for freed African slaves’ children landing in Seychelles after the abolition of slavery that came into force in all British colonies in 1835. The settlement was regarded as an industrial school where the children cultivated the land and learned carpentry and other traditional economic activities. Revenue collected sustained their needs in the settlement. The evidence of the settlement is ruins of buildings and pathways made of lime, red earth and granite stone.

When the site closed in 1889, there was a gradual deterioration of the settlement, occurred through the lack of maintenance, exposure of the ruins to natural disasters and weathering and human interventions. The Queen's brief visit to the Venn’s Town Mission Cultural Heritage Site in 1972 received more media attention than the lives of the first generation of liberated slaves' children. The most important human intervention that ever happened to this historical site is its classification as a national monument in 1980, since then it has been constantly maintained and it reflected the prominence of the liberated slave children settlement in the history of Seychelles. Additionally, in 2011 Venn’s Town Mission Cultural Heritage site was registered on the Unesco tentative list with the possibility of one day being a Unesco World Heritage.

Today the site has transformed into a tourist attraction. Many amenities have been added on the site such as a car park, a reception kiosk, toilets, a monument representing the liberated slave children, information plaques at the ruins, access for the disabled, a deck for social activities and binoculars for viewing the west coast of Mahé.

Notably, over the years all three heritage sites have undergone numerous changes from their original status to what they represent today. Their alterations are based on literature, oral histories or evidence of remnants to keep their utmost authenticity.

The context for their transformations is based on the idea of sustainable development that serves to encourage people to conserve and revitalize the built heritage environment sensibly without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their needs. It is said to help inspire people to play an active role in safeguarding heritage by positively maintaining their traditional assets and their significances, thus making the country more resilient to redevelopment and ensuring the balance between economic growth, environment and social wellbeing.

The general idea of heritage changes is directed towards cultural values and heritage preservation, but the wider surrounding is focused on marketing and economic values. Thus, there should be a good conservation policy in place to ensure funding, education and development of cultural heritage as economic activities, and it must be developed in a supportable approach and sustainable manner, provided that the authenticity of the cultural heritage is kept to the utmost.

Compiled by B. Walter

Seychelles National Heritage Resource Council

Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts

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