Learn all about the Maroons in Salazie

The village of Hell-Bourg, at the heart of the Cirque of Salazie, is where you’ll meet Mélissa, your guide from the Ker Maron association. Ker Maron was born of an encounter between Mélissa and Rémi-Paul, two friends united by a shared passion for the forest, nature, the history of Reunion Island, the great Maroons (runaway slaves) and the values they inspire.
This guided tour narrated in Creole promises a journey back in time to an important and often little-known chapter of the island’s history, in the footsteps of the runaway slaves known as Maroons.

The little-known story of the Maroons of Reunion Island.

Our tour starts at the entrance to the village, next to the annex of Hell-Bourg town-hall, where we’re already enjoying the outstanding scenery. No wonder Hell-Bourg is officially listed among the Most Beautiful Villages in France! We can see the island’s highest mountain, Piton des Neiges, on one side and the entrance to the cirque on the other, with its ramparts covered in vegetation.

Mélissa greets us warmly and our fascinating adventure begins.
Our guide promises to tell us how slavery has left its mark on Reunion Island from halfway through its history since it was colonized in the 1660s.

“What I’m about to tell you is based on years of personal research. Hours and hours spent reading books on the history of Reunion Island, but also going through forgotten documents that help us find the missing pieces to the puzzle”, Mélissa confides.

During the discussions, we learn about the Maroons, the name given to the runaway slaves who fled their masters’ properties and took refuge in the mountains, mainly in the island’s cirques. “Maroonage began in the early years of the island’s colonisation, since the slaves had barely arrived when the first began to escape!”

Salazie, cradle of the first Maroon community.

Salazie is said to have been home to the first community of Maroons. Mélissa explains that the first fugitives are thought to have arrived in the Sainte-Suzanne area and to have taken refuge in this hostile environment where their masters dared not venture. “Unlike their masters of European origin, they knew this environment well, along with its riches and its dangers. They knew what they could and couldn’t eat, for example”, she says, approaching a pretty begonia in full bloom. Our guide picks off a few petals and hands them to us. None of us had suspected that these little white flowers were edible! It tastes acidic, a bit like an unripe apple!

We carry on walking towards the Sisahaye plateau, as Mélissa continues to tell us the Maroons’ story. “We often think of the Maroons as lone fugitives who lived in the forest in fear, but that couldn’t be further from the truth”, she emphasises. “Our ancestors had built proper Maroon camps that were run by chiefs and protected by warriors.”

We pursue our discussion with Mélissa. She answers all our questions about living conditions in the camps, their numbers and their locations. An opportunity for our guide to speak about the names of Madagascan origin of many of Reunion Island’s iconic sites, like Bélouve and Bemahot. The experience offered by our guide goes beyond the mere historic account, to become a whole adventure in the past.

“We mustn’t forget that the Maroons’ story is told to us by pro-slavery powers and hunters of black people, through newspaper inserts listing cases of maroonage, reports on military hunter groups and various statements”, she points out. “We therefore have to read between the lines.”

Rope-making and a pleasant meal to create links on the topic of maroonage.

Our walk through the village streets ends at a lovely green spot with a view that takes our breath away. We sit on woven mats to start our weaving activity. It’s a peaceful place on the edge of the town and we enjoy listening to the birds singing. “We’re going to make a rope out of an invasive exotic plant called Pendulous Boehmeria”, Mélissa explains. “This is also a symbolic way of creating links.”

To round off this immersive experience in style, our small group heads for the restaurant Ô Typiquement Kréol. Here they serve authentic local dishes in a pleasant setting. From chayotte & carrot fritters for starters, to the main course of dishes like chicken & Kaffir lime cari or prawn cari, every mouthful is another chance to appreciate local flavours. For a sweet end to this delicious Creole meal, we tuck into a traditional ice cream flavoured with almond and geranium. What an amazing taste!

It’s time to say goodbye to our passionate guide, with whom we’ve really enjoyed learning about the history of Reunion Island in such an outstanding natural setting, and pursuing our discussions over a traditional Creole meal. Ker Maron delivers much more than just a guided tour. You’ll be plunged into the very spirit of Reunion Island, through the forgotten tales of those who chose freedom.