Why does Reunion Island choose to remain a French territory?
Have you heard of Reunion Island? Reunion is a tiny island off the East African coast that is part of France’s overseas territories. Its neighbours, Madagascar to the West and Mauritius to the Northeast are both independent nations. So why has this African Island not gained its independence? And has it ever pushed for independence in the first place?
To understand why Reunion has not sought independence, we have to understand its history. We have to go back to the very beginning.
Arab traders may have spotted the island while sailing from Madagascar to Malaysia but did not set foot in it because of its hostile volcanic activity. Diego Fernandez Pereira, a Portuguese sailor passed by the island in 1507 and named it Santa Apollonia but the first recorded visitors to set foot on the island were British sailors. They described it as a paradise of parrots and turtles. The animals were described as being unafraid of humans, probably because this was their first time encountering them. The island’s fishing grounds were so abundant that its birds were so obese from their catch; they could not fly and could barely walk.
After this, both the Dutch and French tried unsuccessfully to settle on the island. The French later named it L’ile Bourbon after France’s royal family’s name. The settlements never took root because settlers preferred Madagascar.
Finally, in 1664, the French king gave ownership of the island to the French East India Company. About 600 settlers including freed slaves forced into exile moved to Bourbon Island. They grew tobacco, pistachios, peanuts, and cotton and reared cows and goats. Its population remained tiny until 1716.
In 1716, coffee was introduced to the island by the company. To encourage new settlers who would increase the profitable coffee yield, the French East India Company offered free land to French citizens willing to settle on the island. Slaves from India, and Africa, especially Madagascar were also brought to the island to
