Who Are the Vezo?
The **Vezo** are a semi-nomadic fishing people inhabiting the southwestern coast of Madagascar, from Morombe to Toliara (Tuléar). Numbering approximately **150,000 people**, they are distinguished not primarily by ancestry but by their way of life—**"Vezo"** means "those who struggle with the sea," and identity is defined by fishing, sailing, and maritime existence rather than birth. The Vezo say "Vezo tsy mba Vezo fa Vezo" ("A Vezo is not born Vezo but becomes Vezo"), emphasizing that identity comes from living with the sea. Their outrigger canoes (**lakana**) are constant companions, and the Vezo maintain one of Madagascar's most distinctive maritime cultures, though they face growing pressure from commercial fishing and environmental change.
Identity Through Practice
The Vezo concept of identity challenges Western notions of ethnicity. One does not inherit Vezo status but acquires it through practice: living on the coast, fishing daily, knowing the sea's moods and dangers. Someone born to Vezo parents who moves inland and farms ceases to be Vezo; conversely, outsiders who adopt maritime life can become Vezo. This performative identity centers on specific skills: sailing the **lakana** (outrigger canoe), reading weather and currents, knowing fishing grounds, and above all, maintaining the relationship with the sea that defines daily existence. Vezo contrast themselves with **Masikoro** (inland farmers) and other groups, defining identity through what they do rather than who their ancestors were. This fluidity has practical implications for residence, marriage, and community membership.
Life on the Water
Vezo life revolves around the **lakana**—a dugout outrigger canoe rigged with a square sail, typically 5-8 meters long. Children learn to sail before they can walk confidently on land. Men fish using various techniques: nets, lines, spears, and traps depending on target species and season. Some Vezo practice **free diving** for octopus, sea cucumbers, and shellfish. Women process and sell the catch, controlling much of the household economy. Camps shift seasonally following fish migrations; some Vezo live in semi-permanent villages while maintaining mobile fishing practices. The sea provides over 90% of protein; agriculture is minimal, limited to small gardens. This maritime specialization creates mutual dependence with farming peoples through trade—fish for rice and vegetables.
Spiritual Relationship with the Sea
For the Vezo, the sea is not merely a resource but a spiritual domain requiring proper relationship. **Taboos** (fady) govern fishing: certain species may not be caught on particular days; behaviors that offend sea spirits must be avoided; and rituals must be performed before dangerous fishing expeditions. The sea can give abundantly or take lives—maintaining spiritual balance is essential. Ancestors play important roles; fishing grounds may be inherited, and ancestral spirits watch over living descendants. When misfortune strikes—poor catches, canoe accidents—ritual specialists diagnose spiritual causes and prescribe remedies. This spiritual dimension means that Vezo marine knowledge encompasses not just technical skill but proper relationship with the sea's spiritual dimensions.
Challenges and Adaptation
The Vezo face mounting pressures. **Industrial fishing** by foreign vessels depletes stocks and destroys habitats; sea cucumber export has driven intensive harvesting that threatens populations; and **climate change** alters currents and fish distributions. Poverty drives some Vezo into unsustainable practices; others migrate to cities, losing maritime identity. Conservation initiatives sometimes conflict with traditional fishing rights. Yet the Vezo adapt: some communities have established **locally managed marine areas** (LMMAs), combining traditional management with conservation science; ecotourism provides alternative income; and advocacy groups represent Vezo interests. The question is whether maritime identity can survive economic and environmental transformation—whether "struggling with the sea" remains viable when the sea itself is changing and industrial forces compete for its resources.
References
- Astuti, R. (1995). People of the Sea: Identity and Descent among the Vezo of Madagascar. Cambridge University Press.
- Koechlin, B. (1975). Les Vezo du Sud-Ouest de Madagascar. Mouton.
- Iida, T. (2005). "The Past and Present of Coral Reef Fishing Economy in Madagascar." Senri Ethnological Studies, 67, 21-62.
- Langley, J., et al. (2006). "Marine Resource Use and Management by the Vezo of Southwest Madagascar." SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin, 19.