Talk:Réunion

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Isn't this more commonly known as Réunion in English? -- Zoe

Yes, and it is the official English Name. Should we move the page? Tobias Conradi 22:21 May 8, 2003 (UTC)

Yes, but some sysop needs to delete the existing Réunion page first. --Wik 03:19, Oct 4, 2003 (UTC)

Fixed the spelling of 'Counsil' to 'Counsel' - Dacicle Nov 24 2003

Something is wrong here, King Louis XIII of France died in 1643, so he certainly didn't name the island after the Bourbons in 1649.

Contents 1 Réunion or Reunion? 2 Proposed Flag(s) 3 dog bait should be removed 4 Extinct vs. Dormant 5 Political status 6 Ethnic Groups 7 Notable Reunionnaise 8 Proposed WikiProject 9 Arabic name 10 Île de la Réunion vs Réunion vs Région Réunion

[edit] Réunion or Reunion?

Ile de la Réunion is known as Reunion Island in English, but there are not that many english speaking people who can say where exactly it is!

[edit] Proposed Flag(s)

Here is the link for the two proposed flags for Réunion:

• [1]

The one at http://flagspot.net/flags/re%21.html#apdr resembles the Flag of Oz! AnonMoos 20:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] dog bait should be removed

The section on the "live dog baiting" scandal should be removed, as it has been shown have happened as a one off, and only a small amount of fisherman use dead strays (which are culled from an ever increasing stray populous of 150,000) as shark bait. I have visited Reunion exstensively myself and know that the use of live dogs is seen as a disgusting practice and the person in question was prosecuted. I am taking the sentence "It has been alleged that this sometimes involves the use of live dogs as bait, but this practice is not widespread (see external links)" as it is no longer relevant. Additionally, as this is a rather small article, it gives a rather warped view of the island. For example, on the US page, would you see a list of horrific things people have done to each other over the years? No.

[edit] Extinct vs. Dormant

Although it might seem trivial, I believe the reference to Mauna Kea being extinct should be altered or stricken. Piton des Neiges is almost certainly extinct (not listed as a Holocene volcano by the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian, and is deeply eroded) but Mauna Kea is dormant (most recent eruption dated at c.2500 BC - see Global Volcanism Program @ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1302-03-) and likely to erupt in the future (see Hawaiian Volcano Observatory page @ http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanoes/maunakea/). As there is a distinction in the entries for "extinct volcano" and "dormant volcano" at Wikipedia, I believe this needs editing.

[edit] Political status

Given the politics of decolonization in general and decolonization in (and off the coast of) Africa in particular, should this article (or "Politics of Reunion") contain a discussion of whether there is satisfaction with the current political status and/or desire for independence or greater autonomy? Newyorkbrad 01:48, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Of course, this matter has to be developed, certainly in the historical section : the question of autonomy was critical during the 40s to 60s. By now, the status of Réunion suits to most of reunionese (just as Hawaii being a state of the USA doesn't make a problem of decolonization), but there is always to talk about and particularly to watch how to exist as a remote overseas part of European Union in a tropical environement and a cultural melting context.Channer 10:02, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ethnic Groups

There are Indian ethnic groups on the island other than Tamils- And I don't believe there are any Vietnamese in Reunion. Maurice45

Of course there are! But Tamil and Gujarati were the more numerous immigrants.

A few people have vietnamese origins, and some among the most famous people of the modern history of the island: Paul Vergès, Margie Sudre, Bao Vang, ...

By now, you might find people from everywhere or from any origin, surely some Malay, but in fact there is no Malay community or tradition there.

What is the most shocking in this part of the article, is how two centuries of slavery are completely ignored and just treated as a “supplemented influx” (what a shame !).

Then, chinese immigration went on during the XXth century, as well as comorian, malagasy and french ones

Channer 17:47, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

The ceaols make just 40% of the population, it can't be that 90% are creaols, 25% are white, 21% are Indians - this makes over 100% of the population. - source: Fischer Weltalmanach 2007

Of course it can: some creoles are white, others are black, etc.

Ethnic counting is forbidden in France and it's a good thing. You may be creol one day, white the next and creol white the third, zoreol another one, black if you want. You are free to say anything and nobody will never know exactly something that can't be exact. You can just count historically who came when and from where. And then that's sex that made the mixing.Channer 19:34, 9 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Notable Reunionnaise

I am thinking of starting the article on notable Reunionnaise people. However, I am unable to find any resources on this topic. Does anyone know where I could find some?

[edit] Proposed WikiProject

In my ongoing efforts to try to include every country on the planet included in the scope of a WikiProject, I have proposed a new project on Eastern Africa at Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Proposals#Eastern Africa whose scope would include Réunion. Any interested parties are more than welcome to add their names there, so we can see if there is enough interest to start such a project. Thank you for your attention. Badbilltucker 16:27, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Arabic name

Can anyone shed any light on the Arabic name? Al Maghribain means literally "the two wests" or "the two sunsets", but Arab sailors would probably have approached the island from the north. Wikipedia pages in other languages mentioning the name have "dina", which could be a variant of "adna". Arabic for "island" is "jazeera".Shimwell 19:13, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Île de la Réunion vs Réunion vs Région Réunion

I tried to clarify the introduction.

• Île de la Réunion means Réunion Island in French; it is usually shortened to La Réunion. It is the name of the island, as a geographical territory.
• The region is an administrative and governmental structure. Prior to 1948, Reunion Island was already called La Réunion, but it was a colony; then it became an oversea department, and now both an oversea department and an oversea region. It is possible that this governmental organization evolves again in the future (for instance, by merging the department and region, or by splitting the region into two departments); there also have been calls for independance; yet, in any case, these administrative and governmental changes would not change the fact that the island is named La Réunion.
• Thus, we must make a difference between the geographical unit (an island in the Indian Ocean) and the various administrative structures that govern it. One is a rather permanent fact, the other are rather transient.
• In France, and on Reunion Island itself, Reunion tends to be referred more as a department than as a region. For instance, it has a centre hospitalier départemental, not régional.

David.Monniaux 03:16, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

If you pay attention, you'll notice that the infobox is a French region infobox. We have 25 other such infoboxes, and they all have a "Région XXX" title because the information contained in those infoboxes relate to the region (president of the regional council, etc.). As for the name "Île de la Réunion", I don't understand why you put it in bold in the beginning of the article. Why not also putting "Île de Mayotte" or "Île de la Martinique" ? The word "île" is not part of the name. The name of Réunion is Réunion, period, or "La Réunion" in official documents, but you'll never find "Île de la Réunion" in official documents. Geographers may say that "l'île de la Réunion est...", but the word "île" is not part of the name. Check the Mauritius article and you'll understand what I mean. Nobody put "Île Maurice" as the French translation of the name. Godefroy 03:31, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

Use is not law : in french, it is very often said and written in all sorts of circumstances île de La Réunion so you can't confuse with une réunion (a meeting) and it is also very often said and written île Maurice so you can't confuse with the first name Maurice. There is of course no such needs to say île de la Martinique or île de la Guadeloupe.

Moreover, the article La completely belongs to the name La Réunion. You may say both à la Guadeloupe ou en Guadeloupe, but you must say à La Réunion and never en Réunion. The right title of the article (even in french) should be La Réunion. The capital for the L of the article La is the rule but it is not often respected. Réunion is an abridged form, used for titles but never in sentences and speech. If you want to see examples, just read some pages of the on line newspaper Le Journal de l'Île de la Réunion.

Best greetings from La Réunion

Channer 07:16, 18 March 2007 (UTC)

Reference for new rainfall record--I'll sort out proper format and put this on main page later today or tomorrow, but have to get to work now: http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=635&tstamp=200703 Vicki Rosenzweig 12:38, 19 March 2007 (UTC)