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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE October 12, 2005
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| September 22, 2005 |
Seychelles – Nature walk and cultural exchange in the heart of the Indian Ocean |
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| Peace Boat participants were treated to a stunning sunrise as they arrived in the quiet capital of The Seychelles, Victoria. |
Peace Boat’s second port of call was the tranquil capital of the Seychelles, Victoria. Often referred to as a string of pearls in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles is renowned for its clear green seas, scenic beaches, abundant nature and vibrant Creole culture. More than 50 Peace Boat participants were able to get a taste for the beauty and culture of this remote African paradise, by sharing a nature walk and cultural exchange with locals. |
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| Tropical fruit such as wild pineapple is abundant in the Seychelles. |
The Vacoa Nature Trail is located on the largest of the Seychelles’ 115 islands, Mahe Island. Participants were guided through the maze of rich plant life by local ranger Terence Belle, who introduced them to some of the 80 species of native and exotic plants that coat much of the island in a myriad of lush greenery. |
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| Guided by ranger Terence Belle, participants take in the sweet smell of cinnamon. Once used as a natural healer, cinnamon was the Seychelles’s biggest industry until fishing and tourism took over. Cinnamon trees still grow abundantly throughout the Seychelles. |
As the population of the Seychelles increases, the Government has acknowledged a growing need to conserve the country’s natural resources, namely plant and marine life, said Terence. He explained to participants that the key towards conserving local environment was to educate local people. Primary school curriculums throughout the Seychelles now include compulsory units on conservation issues, and numerous non-government organizations (NGOs) have also been established to help spread the message of protecting the unique flora and fauna of the Seychelles. |
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| Peace Boat participants talk with a local fisherman as he hunts for octopus, which will be made into a Seychelles specialty – curried octopus. |
Many areas of the Seychelles are now protected, with locals needing a permit to cut trees, said Terence. Two conservation areas were also recently declared United Nations World Heritage sites. Other conservation issues were slowly but surely being tackled in the Seychelles, such as the poaching of protected sea turtles. As the Seychelles Islands are scattered over 1,000,000 square kilometers (400,000 square miles), monitoring poaching has proved to be a challenge. Harsh penalties for those caught, however, have been serving as a deterrent to poachers, he said. |
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| Seychellois locals teach participants traditional games. |
The arrival of Peace Boat to the Seychelles was well timed to coincide with the Seychelles’ official Peace and Friendship Week - a celebration of peace and friendship to commemorate International Peace Day and International Friendship Day.
After the Vacoa Nature Trail walk, participants were introduced to members of the NGO International Friendship League (IFL). IFL is a London-based international NGO that promotes friendship and peace through arranging cultural exchanges for people within the Seychelles and all over the world.
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| Mayor of Victoria Florence Benstrong concludes Peace Boat’s visit to the Seychelles, as well as a week of celebrating peace and friendship. |
Secretary General of IFL’s Seychelles branch Marie Nella Azemia spoke to Peace Boat participants about the importance of fostering friendships with people from around the world. “We believe peace and friendship is the key to progress and development”, she said. Marie appealed to participants to try to work together to promote the message of peace through friendship and cultural exchange. “Ask yourselves what you can do from Japan and abroad to help make the world a better place,” she encouraged.
As an example of cultural exchange, local Seychellois and Peace Boat participants enjoyed lunch together on a community beach. Participants were introduced to Creole food including fresh fish, spicy salads, coconuts, and a range of tropical fruit. The group also shared traditional games, song and dance in Japanese, English and Creole, which, derived from French is the official language of the Seychelles.
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| Local dancers introduce the Seychellois "Sega" style dance |
To conclude, around 170 local Seychellois were welcomed onboard Peace Boat for the final celebration of Peace and Friendship Week. Local children and youth gave an energetic performance of song and dance, which represented the rich African, South Asian and European origins of the Seychellois. As Peace Boat departed towards the mainland of Africa, many people commented on the serenity of the Seychelles. From turquoise seas and lush undisturbed flora to friendly and charismatic locals, Peace Boat participants will not forget the raw splendor of the Seychelles. |
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