Difference between revisions of "Vezo"

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<td valign="top">[[Image:Anakao_00018.jpg|185px|none|thumb|Outrigger canoes]]</td></tr></table>
 
<td valign="top">[[Image:Anakao_00018.jpg|185px|none|thumb|Outrigger canoes]]</td></tr></table>
  
<b>Malagasy proverb</b>
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<b>Malagasy proverb</b><br>
 
''Vezo nenga-daka, tsy misy raha vitany.''
 
''Vezo nenga-daka, tsy misy raha vitany.''
 
A Vezo without a boat cannot exist.
 
A Vezo without a boat cannot exist.

Revision as of 17:24, 31 December 2009

Vezo literally means Fishing people. The Vezo people are often referred to as Vezo-Sakalava. They are not an individual tribe, they can be seen as a clan of the Sakalava. Their home is the southwestern coast of Madagascar, reaching from Morondava in the west to Faux Cap in the south. Morombe is the Vezo capital, a small city between Toliara (Tulear) and Morondava.

Fezo village Anakao south of Toliara

The Vezo are skilled fishermen and excellent boatmen. Their colourful canoes are related to the Malayo-Polynesian canoe. The Vezo canoe is actually a hollowed tree trunk with one outrigger pole and a small rectangular sail.

Anakao villagers
Vezo fisherman
Community well
Young Vezo guitarist
Traditional make up
Vezo child at Anakao beach

Vezo people are also noted for their tombs. The graves are dug into the sand in a hidden place, with a wooden fence erected around it. The main four poles are decorated with wooden carved figures, some of which are even erotic.

Outrigger canoe
Canoes along the beach
Outrigger canoes

Malagasy proverb
Vezo nenga-daka, tsy misy raha vitany. A Vezo without a boat cannot exist.