Historical relations across the Indian Ocean

Report and papers of the meeting of experts organized by Unesco at Port Louis, Mauritius, from 15 to 19 July 1974. — Unesco, 1980. — 192 p. — (The general history of Africa: studies and documents; 3). — ISBN: 92-3-101740-3.Published in the series 'The General History of Africa: Studies and Documents', the present volume contains the working documents and the Report of the Meeting of Experts on the Historical Contacts between East Africa and Madagascar on the One Hand, and South-East Asia on the Other, Across the Indian Ocean, which was organized by Unesco at Port Louis, Mauritius, from 15 to 19 July 1974, in response to a proposal made by the International Scientific Committee for the Drafting of a General History of Africa.
The discussions were on all aspects of the relations that have developed from the earliest times between the countries on either side of the Indian Ocean, which was described by one participant as 'the largest cultural continuum in the world during the first millennium and a half A.D.'. The effects of these exchanges on the settlement and development of the Indian Ocean islands near Africa, and particularly on the peopling of Madagascar, which remains in many respects an enigma, were also examined.Historical, cultural and commercial contacts across the Indian Ocean.
East Africa and the Orient: ports and trade before the arrival of the Portuguese (Neville Chittick).
Historical relations between the Horn of Africa and the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean islands through Islam (Musa H. I. Galaal).
Indian cultural and commercial influences in the Indian Ocean from Africa and Madagascar to South-East Asia (D. G. Keswani).
Historical contacts of Africa and Madagascar with South and South-East Asia: the role of the Indian Ocean (Michel Mollat).
The Chinese and the countries across the Indian Ocean (Wang Gungwu).
The settlement of Madagascar and neighbouring islands.
Various these concerning the settlement of Madagasca (Jacques Rabemananjara).
The settlement of Madagascar: two approaches (Charles Ravoajanahary).
Cultural influences and the contribution of Africa to the settlement of Madagascar (Pierre Vérin).
The role of trade in the settlement of Mauritius (Auguste Toussaint).
The part played by agriculture in the settlement of Réunion (Hubert Gerbeau).
Indian Ocean studies.
A proposal for Indian Ocean studies (J. de V. Allen).
Historical studies on the Indian Ocean (Auguste Toussaint).
Meeting of experts.
Report on the discussions.
Recommendations.