### Discovering Saint-Martin, the ghost village of the Angolan desert
In a world where modernity inexorably encroaches on our past, some places remain frozen in time, like a painting forgotten in a dusty room. Among these treasures of history is the village of Saint-Martin, on the island of Tigers, off the coast of Angola. This abandoned hamlet, lost in the Namibe desert, is not only a testimony to human abandonment; it is the memory of a country in search of identity in the face of the tumults of its recent history.
#### The genesis of a forgotten village
Saint-Martin, once a small flourishing town, is today an assortment of ruined buildings, invaded by the sand of the Namibe. Belonging to a period of local prosperity, the village was born in the mid-20th century, a period marked by the economic boom due to the exploitation of natural resources, particularly diamonds. However, with the departure of the colonialists and the outbreak of civil war in the 1970s, the village gradually emptied of its inhabitants, abandoning its streets to solitude and oblivion.
Currently, the observation is bitter: the artisans, farmers and traders who had made Saint-Martin their home have fled, leaving behind the vestiges of their daily lives. This dynamic of depopulation is not unique to Saint-Martin; thousands of villages across the African continent are suffering a similar fate, testifying to a phenomenon of accelerated urbanization fueled by the search for a better future in big cities.
#### Revealing statistics
Internal migrations in Angola are a reflection of an inexorable societal movement. According to the latest data from the Angolan Bureau of Statistics, around 60% of the population now lives in urban areas, a figure that is constantly increasing. This raises a paradox: while cities grow and prosper, villages like Saint Martin are depopulating, taking with them the stories and traditions that have shaped these lands.
The consequences of this urbanization are worrying. Cities are facing major challenges such as overpopulation, lack of infrastructure and poverty that, ironically, affects even the most “developed” urban areas. Migrant populations, often ill-prepared, are confronted with harsh realities, and old promises of prosperity often turn into disillusionment.
#### At the heart of a lost heritage
Saint Martin, like a history book, is an invitation to reflect on what we are losing on the road to progress. As a site of memory, it deserves renewed attention. What to do with these places that bear witness to a bygone past? Some heritage experts suggest that these abandoned villages could become tourist destinations, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a forgotten history while preserving the remains of local architecture.
Tourism can, in fact, play a fundamental role in the revitalization of these spaces. In Polynesia, for example, similar villages have been rehabilitated, becoming places of cultural discovery and environmental awareness. Such an approach could also help breathe new life into Saint-Martin, while respecting the cultural and historical integrity of the place. This would help avoid the trivialization that many tourist destinations face.
#### An uncertain future
At a time when Angola is trying to redefine itself on the world stage, the fate of villages like Saint-Martin raises questions: how can we build a sustainable future without neglecting our past? The challenge lies in balancing modernization and preservation. Angola has the opportunity to engage in an approach that values its heritage while responding to its contemporary needs.
The destiny of Saint-Martin, far from being a simple story of despair, is a lesson in humility and responsibility. By rediscovering such places, we not only honor those who built and inhabited these spaces, but we also take a critical look at our path towards tomorrow. The Angolan desert, far from being the enemy, becomes a silent witness, a preserver of ancient stories that we must learn to listen to.
In short, Saint-Martin deserves not only to be recognized as a vestige of the past, but also to be integrated into a global reflection on the conservation of our cultural heritage in the face of the challenges of sustainable development. The Angolan desert, far from the clichés of sterile immensity, is a vibrant example of what it really means to habituate and abandon, and reminds us that a ghost village can also be a beacon of wisdom for tomorrow.