Folklore in Praslin: Secrets from Locals
Praslin Island in the Seychelles has many secrets, including hidden beaches, a tropical forest, and unique wildlife. The island is a sanctuary for giant tortoises amid pristine beaches, mangroves, and historical sites, including a former leper colony.
Travelers are unaware of many of Praslin Island’s secrets; Bliss Car Rental will let you in on what few people know about this amazing island.
The Legends and Myths of Praslin Island
The Coco de Mer Legend
The Vallée de Mai double-lobed coconut has been the source of many myths. The unique plant species Coco de Mer, an unusual palm of the Seychelles islands of Praslin and Curieuse, boasts the largest seed in the world. Its distinctive shape and size have given rise to myths and legends, such as being linked with the bird-like mythological creature Garuda.
Mariners used to come to these regions in search of commodities, which they would trade in their respective homelands. They came to Praslin and found Coco De Mer. The nut is of no use but turned into a highly prized ornament, which was traded at the same rate as spices during those days. When other ships inquired where exactly this coconut came from, the sailors misled them by informing them that it was floating along the waters of Maldives. For this, Coco De Mer has been given the dubious name The Maldive Coconut.
The Ghosts of Praslin
Some of the island’s legends are charming but unlikely, like the old tale about a ‘headless woman’ who wanders the island at night and whose sanctuary in a cave exists to protect the coast of Fregate from unwelcomed visitors.
Whether it’s true or not, it might have served to keep Fregate safe from the poachers that can threaten its valuable reserve of sea turtles and other marine resources, but in turn, it has also been the cause of reducing the number of the more than 150 islanders from the night parties that Seychellois elsewhere usually indulge in, i.e., native dancing.
Named after the French Finance Minister in the Louis XV reign, Étienne de Silhouette, Silhouette Island is filled with stories of treasure hidden on the island and hauntings. The most popular story is that of pirate Hodoul, whose spirit is believed to haunt the island even today, protecting his treasure hidden on the island. The island’s towering peaks and dense forests make it the ideal setting for such ghostly tales.
There are numerous other ghost stories you will hear about during your visit to the islands of the Seychelles.
Long-Lost Pirate Treasures
Among speculators who fantasise that they know where the treasure is buried by long-dead buccaneers, one of the most popular candidates for finding the legendary treasure of Olivier le Vasseur or ‘La Buse’ is Fregate Island in the Seychelles.
This infamous early 18th-century pirate was captured and executed on the neighbouring Reunion Island, today the island of Fregate, a remote private island of exceptional natural beauty is teeming with legends of pirates and treasure. There’s a pirate legend about every island but locals on Praslin are reasonably sure that the treasure is here.
The Fairy and the Crocodile
One of the oldest legends in Seychelles is about a crocodile and a fairy that accounts for the peculiar forms of some rocks and islands. It is a love story that, according to myth, went wrong because the two lovers’ relationship was not supposed to be. They were both desperate and turned themselves into islands, thus forever near yet hopelessly apart by the ocean. This myth is conventionally applied to account for the peculiar form and arrangement of the Seychelles islands, which gives a romantic but melancholy character to the landscape.
The Seychellois People: A Rainbow of Culture
Europeans colonised Seychelles and were also influenced by Indian and Southeastern Asian cultures. It is also on the African continent and thus has bits of Africa in it too. Creole culture, with time, because of tourism and traditions, has turned out to be a unique mixture of nearly all the world’s cultures, which makes this country interesting.
A Secret Beach
Deep in Praslin, there lies a tucked away cove in the nook of the island’s coastline called Anse Georgette beach — a must-visit spot. To get there, you’ll have to go on a hike – worth every effort to reach this slice of paradise.
The legends and myths of Seychelles are as diverse and fascinating as the islands themselves. They offer a window into the imaginative and spiritual world of the Seychellois people, where nature is not just a backdrop for tourism but a living, breathing entity filled with stories.
The individuals who left us with these tales were the real travellers, their tales have turned into legends, the sort that will keep on inspiring each of us with a sense of adventure. You can visit all the places we’ve mentioned and countless others with a rental car from Bliss Car Hire.
The roads of the island tend to be narrow and challenging to navigate so we would recommend that you hire a car from our range such as the Suzuki Jimny or the Mahindra Thar to ensure your adventure is nothing short of extraordinary.
Discover Long-Lost Secrets
Visit Anse Georgette, see Vallé de Mai’s (national park) Coco de Mers, or stop by local villages where you can hear these stories firsthand. Or perhaps you could be the lucky one to find the long-lost treasure of Olivier le Vasseur.
For more information or to reserve your car, call us today. We can’t wait to assist you in discovering the secrets of Praslin Island.
