Local Pirogue

The boats the use are pirogues (pronounced peerog). At 5-6 AM the entire group of men from the village leave in their pirogue for a day of fishing. They use line by hand with a wooden lure, nets, and spears. I spoke with several about the catch. One man who was an eco guide in my class fished all day and caught two emperors (I had him point them out in the fish book). To me that sounded as if a frustrating day. Another went out with 6 men in two Pirogues with the big net. They cought 50 kilos of sargents...a small fish in the damsel family. They sold these immediately on return to the village for 600 ariary per kilo or 30,000 ariary. This equates to 15 US dollars...or 2.50 per man for the day of fishing. We are told that on average a Vezo fisherman make about 5000 ariary per day fishing...so this is right on average. Preety meager life for what seems like alot of hard work in the hot sun. But they know of no other life.

As they explained to me, they fish when they want, eat when they want, drink when they want, and sleep. This is the life of the Vezo. The women fish, or glean the shoreline for shellfish and octopus. They are not allowed to dive or go fishing in the pirogues. Only the men do this. In addition the women do all the other task functions of wood gathering, water retrieval, managing the kids ( of which most have alot). The average life span is some 34-36 years for men I am told. The President of the Velondriake and I had drinks at an epibar one evening. The Velondriake is a group of 25 villages enjoined to try to conserve the regions fishing assets and to try to attain other methods of generating income. He is a white haired nahooda (village elder) of 34 years of age. Needless to say the Vezo men I came into contact with were much impressed with the fact that I was of 53 years and still running up and down the steps carrying heavy dive gear and diving. Most if they make it beyond 40 years are retired and resigned to sitting in the shade playing dominoes in the afternoon before beginning their evening beer.

We spent much time in the village as the market was there, a store which has soup to nuts...including hardware nuts. I only saw one varmint

run by... a rat I think. Usually all huts are small dirt floor reed huts of a size of maybe 6X10 feet.

Very simple living.