In 1965, French geographer Jean-François Dupon set out on a tour of the Indian Ocean islands: Mauritius, Rodrigues, Réunion, the Seychelles… He set out as part of his research on the populations of these territories and returned with a treasure trove of photographs that evoke a time now long past. NaMMa Editions presents this exceptional work dedicated to Mauritius and Rodrigues in a book that lives up to its name: Over Time. Eugénie Sauzier-de Rosnay
Jean-François’s journey begins in Réunion, continues on to Mauritius and Rodrigues, and ends in the Seychelles. Armed with his camera, this geographer captures thousands of candid moments and scenes of daily life throughout his travels. These powerful photographs are now of inestimable historical value, as they document a pivotal chapter in the history of our islands: the pre- and post-independence period, when a myriad of social, economic, urban, and identity-related changes began to take shape.
“These photographs depict an island where life was slower and gentler, and reveal a period that truly marked the beginnings of today’s society—a society in which, even now, a few traces of that bygone era still linger,” says Séverine Martial, director of NaMMa Editions. Through nine facets of local life—the people, the Cavadee, sugarcane, landscapes and secondary crops, artisanal and industrial fishing, housing, Port-Louis, and Rodrigues, this testimonial also recalls the realities and ways of life in a region still largely untouched by globalization.
Accompanied by texts by François Job, a former student of Jean-François and a frequent contributor to Maurice, this book is just the first in a wonderful upcoming heritage collection—a compilation of unique perspectives on ever-changing territories. For an even more immersive experience, NaMMa Editions, in collaboration with Adamah Fine Arts, will organize an exhibition in November at the Veranda Grand Baie, the Caudan Arts Centre, and La Preneuse. Some of these timeless photographs, printed in large format by The Octopus, promise to capture all the power and nostalgia of the passing of time.
