Topic summary
Balade
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Balade, New Caledonia.
History
Balade is where Catholic Missionaries established themselves on the island in 1843, celebrating the first mass on 2km north on the beach at Maamaat. A church, the Église de Saint Denis, which is still standing today, and was the first Catholic church on the island, was established at Balade in 1845. In 1847, due to famine and disease that had spread among the missionaries, caused rebellion to spread among the natives, who then beheaded Father Blaise Marmoiton, one of the missionaries. This incident is depicted in the church's stained glass windows.