Mayotte from 13 to 21 october 2010
Welcome to the 9th Arbre Vert Amazon Raid !
Alexandre Debanne and Bruno Pomart are officially launching the 9th edition of this adventure, which is entirely non-motorised and reserved exclusively for women - our destination this year is Mayotte.
The Arbre Vert Amazon Raid will be taking place in from 13 to 21 october 2010.
Mayotte is a tiny jewel of French paradise set in the Indian Ocean, situated in the Southern hemisphere - to the North-West of Madagascar, between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, and about 8000 kilometres from Paris and 400 kilometres from the coasts of Tanzania.
Sign up now for this adventure in which emotion, discovery, courage, solidarity and femininity will all once again be present.
History
The history of Mayotte can be summed up in two words: "cufturaf crossroads". Its geographicaf location, on the spice route between Africa and Madagascar, led many people of diverse origins to settfe on this is-land and leave their mark.
Archaeological digs revealed the first signs of settlement in the 8th century (probably Ban-tu). The sixteenth century marked the arrivai of the Shirazians who proclaimed themsel-ves Sultans by marrying the daughter of local chiefs. With them came a lengthy stint of incessant warring (they would be known as the Battling Sultans).
Mahoran culture blossomed over the centuries with the arrivai of Africans, Arabs and Persians who brought with them many things including Islam.
The first Europeans to set foot on Mahoran soil were Portuguese. They were followed by the Dutch, the English and the French until on 25th April 1841, Sultan Adriantsouly ceded Mayotte to the French government. As a French colony, it was not until 9th Decem-ber 1846 that slavery was abolished by the King Louis Philippe of France. At the time of independence in the Comores archipelago, Mayotte declined to follow suit and stood apart from the other islands by maintaining its links to France. On two occasions f 1974 then 1976), it would confirm this position in a referendum. And in 1977, it gained the status of a territorial collectivity in 2001, that of a departmental collectivity.
On 29th March 2009, in a new référendum, Mayotte said "yes" to the status of a depart-ment and thus paved the way for the constitution of the 101 st French department.
Population
The birthplace of cultural influences left through history, Mayotte has managed to preserve the authenticity of a culture of its very own. Each African, Indian, Malagasy, Arab or European origin has managed to leave its mark. Customs are passed from one generation to the next and form the rules by which this society operates. An original tradition on a Muslim Jand is that of matrilinearity.
Of Bantu origin, this tradition bestows a vital place in the comrnunity on the mother of the family. The mother manages the daily chores, takes care of the children's education and holds the purse strings in the home.
Mahoran women are renowned for their strong character and they enjoy great free-dom, while respecting the tenets of the Muslim religion. Islam, which is practised in a moderate way by a large part of the population, sets the daily pace for the Mahoran people.
Many festivities punctuate the milestones of their life. An exotic custom in Mayotte is the male coming-of-age ceremony, whereby young boys build their own "Banga" on reaching puberty. The "Banga", which is a dwelling made of dried earth, becomes their own space where they are free to do as they wish and accompanies them into adulthood.
Outline
The outline of Mayotte is shaped like a sea-I horse. The island's coastline is very rugged and deep bays run into sharp points. In this land where contrast is rife, the colours are vivid and bold. Emerald forest rubs shoulders with the red soil of the padzas and the turquoise blue of the lagoon, where the many white, ochre or black sand beaches only enhance this magical landscape.
The coastline is another source of thrills. Swim alongside a turtle or watch an egg-laying ceremony on one of the beaches. Each of these priceless moments help make this land a fantastical place. Another special feature of Mayotte's coastline is the coral reef.
Stretching over 150km long, it protects one of the largest lagoons in the world and is unique as it lays claim to a double reef to the south west of the island.
Mayotte's lagoon is teeming with inhabited islets where you can sunbathe or snorkel. You can always give in to the pleasure of swimming with tropical fish. A jewel in the lagoon, the white sand islets are must-see sites which have earned the island its reputation as an island paradise. A stop-over on these lagoons is one of the special, unforgettable moments of a trip to "Lagoon Island".
