The Fishermen of the Vezo Tribe
The Vezo people, whose name could be derived from “mivehy izao” (handling the oar), live along a coastal strip stretching from the south of Toliara (Tulear) to the north of Morondava, never more than a few hundred meters from the sea, although some have transitioned to agriculture with more or less success.
Indeed, it is nomadism that sets the Vezo apart from other Malagasy tribes. Comfortable on the water from a young age, they do not hesitate to leave their villages for several months to fish in areas far from their homes.
To achieve the usual bitterness. Life is tough, risks are numerous, but the sea is their life.
Nomadism
From April to December, the Vezo people are at sea. For a few days or several weeks, they camp with their families on a beach or a deserted island, using the sail and mast of their pirogue as a tent.
From January to March, when hurricanes, storms, and dangerous seas prevail, the Vezo people take a break in their home villages. They spend their time maintaining their second home, the paddle canoes, and in the calm waters of the lagoons.
Fishing in mangrove channels.
The Pendulum Pirogue (“lakam-piarana”)
The Vezo pirogue, carved from the trunk of a single tree, is propelled by the power of the wind, 
transferred through the paddle when the breeze subsides or when maneuvering in a narrow channel. The sail is square and spreads over two spars forming a “V” whose angle can vary. The lower front corner of the sail is attached to the bow of the canoe and the lower rear corner carries the sheet. To turn, one simply changes the angle of the sail. The alignment of the masts and exchanging the lower corners of the sail: a single pendulum keeps the boat balanced.
Traditional Vezo Fishing
It is on board a Lakam-Piarana that the fishermen set sail. At the edge of the coast, “an-dohan ny riaka” (at the tip of the sea), they fish with nets.
Fishing “Andriva” (also in deep waters) is by far the most common fishing method and allows for large catches.
Bottom Fishing
Highly valued is the “anosy” fishing (waters around coral islands) practiced during the day with a net and at night with a bottom line. Some fishermen specialized in free diving harvest sea cucumbers and catch large.
Fishing and lobster hunting with a harpoon.
Others master, not without risk, the close combat with sea turtles and display the skulls of these reptiles as trophies, which are staked in front of their homes.
The Vezo Habitat
The houses, built from plant material, line up along a north-south axis on the beach. A mangrove hedge unites the huts of members of the same family over several generations in a rectangular “vala” (enclosure).
Narrow east-west and north-south passages allow movement between the enclosures.
