Let's summarize ... In 1700 Reunion Island had 750 inhabitants, 350 of which being Blacks..

From 1735, the will of Paris to make profitable the cultivations in the colonies will boost coffee.production At that time the Island's slaves are multiplied by 20, 6,500 for 1,700 free.

The slaves of Bourbon come from East Africa as well as from Arab and Portuguese trading posts of Mozambique or Madagascar.

Are they well or badly treated at Bourbon ? Generally they are well fed. However, they have no right and emancipation which is a reward for "good Blacks" is rare until the 19th century.

Humanists of the 17th century were indignant and, during the Revolution, slavery was abolished by a decree of the Convention dated 4th February, 1794.

Unfortunately, the influence of the aristocracy of cane sugar producers represented a heavy weight in the economy and the example of the riots at St Domingue has defered the freedom of thousands of Blacks until half a century later.

After the Restoration, as the pressure of the abolitionists was growing stronger, the successive governements made a few concessions :

1811 : restriction of the slave trade. 1830 : abolition of it. Colonists change their recruitment method : until 1882, several ten thousands or so "voluntary workers" are recruited in Africa then in India.

During the 19th century the conditions of transport for slaves become worse because of illicit slave trade.

On October 13th, 1848, Sarda Garriga disembarks at St Denis with the decree of abolition on him ...

Sarda convinces the Blacks to sign contracts of work with their former masters ...

After the happiness brought by the abolition came the disillusion: the theoretically emancipated citizen slaves cannot exercise their right to vote (because of the Second Empire).

Settlers will search workers under contracts everywhere. The "voluntaries" come from Mozambique or Madagascar. Many of them will stay on their island of adoption, thus enriching its range of human beings.