Is there any way to get a permanent settled population on Mauritius and Reunion before Europeans? Could they be settled by Austronesians at around the same time as Madagascar, from Indonesia or from refugees from Madagascar pushed out by migration? Or would it be a better bet to wait until later for colonization by Arabs or Indians (and what would motivate that colonization?)? What would any of these societies look like, and how would they interact with the world? What would European colonization of this island society look like, if it occurs?
AHC/WI: Pre-European population of Mascarenes
- Thread starter Keperry
- Start date
I have already this question before, but it's in the ASB section. Personally, in both scenarios, I'm thinking of Tulu-speaking sailors and merchants to settle in Mascarenes.
I've asked the same question as why the Malagasy bypassed the Mascarenes. Some believe that it wasn't on the Malagasy migration path. Anyway, if I were to do a slight timeline, it would be that an offshoot of one the Malagasy people either through population pressure, war or accident were to stumble across the Mascarenes and decided to colonize the islands. As for the fate of the dodo or the other Mascarene birds well, the elephant bird of Madagascar went extinct soon after the arrival of the Malagasy so it's doubtful. Maybe if they could be useful as a farm animal, like poultry and waterfowl.
Yeah, dodo are dead anyway. Indeed, an earlier permanent settlement kills them off faster, as the population will need to use all its resources to survive (atolls being very limited in what they can support), and dodos are a tasty resource.