Île Portal
Île Portal | |
|---|---|
Island | |
  Île Portal Location in French Guiana | |
| Coordinates: 5°24′20″N 54°06′30″W / 5.4056°N 54.1084°W / 5.4056; -54.1084 | |
| Country | France |
| Overseas region | French Guiana |
| Arrondissement | Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni |
| Commune | Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni |
| Area [1] | |
| • Total | 27 km2 (10 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
| • Total | 124 |
| • Density | 4.6/km2 (12/sq mi) |
Île Portal is an island in the Maroni River in the commune of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana.[3] The island measures 27 km2[1]
History
In 1852, Constant Bar started a plantation on the island to produce coffee, sugar and wood. The workforce consisted of African and East-Indian immigrants, and French convicts from the penal colony.[4] In 1878, the island was visited by the explorer Jules Crevaux who noted that four brothers were operating the plantation.[5] In the early 20th century, the island was bought by Talon who started a distillery on the island. In 1964, the distillery and the buildings burnt down in a fire.[4]
Indigenous inhabitants
About 200 Kalina Amerindians used to live on the island. In the late 1970s, the island was bought[6] by SCI de Provence,[7] a real estate company, who wanted the Amerindians off their land.[6] In 1981, they were told to leave the island, and resettle in Espérance.[8]
In 1983, the Prefecture of French Guiana refused to forcibly remove the remaining population of the island. SCI de Provence has sued the State for damages.[7] In 2011, there were still 124 people living on the island.[2] As of 2018, there are little camps along the river. There is no school on the island, and the children have to take a pirogue to the mainland followed by a bus to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.[3] As of 2019, SCI de Provence is still in litigation.[9]
References
- ^ a b G. Sieffermann (1955). Etude pédologique de reconnaissance de l'Île Portal (PDF) (in French). p. 2.
- ^ a b "Le sort des habitants de l'île Portal entre les mains du Conseil d'État". France Guyane (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Les enfants de l'île Portal". Media Part (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Le Patrimoine dans tous ses Etats" (PDF) (in French). Ville de Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. September 2017. p. 8. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ "Par m. Jules crevaux, medecin de premiere classe de la marine francaise". m-20-bal (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2021.
Crevaux used the surname Bard and not Bar
- ^ a b P. F. Grenand and P. Menget (1985). "La question amérindien en Guyane française" (PDF). Ethies (in French). Vol. 1. p. 55.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^ a b "Conseil d'Etat, 10 / 9 SSR, du 16 février 2000, 147948, mentionné aux tables du recueil Lebon". Légifrance (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2021.
Legal document from 2000 which states that SCI de Provence owns the whole island
- ^ Odile Renault-Lescuie (1985). "La question amérindien en Guyane française" (PDF). Ethies (in French). Vol. 1. p. 20.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^ "Conseil d'État, 5ème chambre, 20 mars 2019, 420123, Inédit au recueil Lebon". Doctrine.fr (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2021.