Pratique et perception des espaces aquatiques chez les Vezo de Belo-sur-mer (côte ouest de Madagascar)

Abstract

Employment and Perception of Aquatic Space in the Sakalava Vezo of Belo-sur-Mer, West of Madagascar. Belo-sur-mer is a coastal village in the Sakalava Vezo people, of Western Madagascar. The Vezos ofBelo have historically developped in a coastal and lagoon setting, with activities involving fishing and boating. The aquatic space -the open sea as well as the lagoons -is given a detailed description, along with that of the local inhabitants, who obtained their working experience by fishing on the continental shelf the small coral islands, and in the vast lagoon ofBelo. This experience is strongly influenced by the natural rhythms of their environment : the rise and ebb of the semi-diurnal tides and the rhythm of the seasons. An accelerated dynamism in the fishing activities has been observed in recent years. This is linked to more profitable gains by the fisheries of Morondava and by certain private owners from the Highlands who have undertaken to collect the marine resources of the region. Finally, the recent extension of schooner activity in Belo-sur-Mer is possible because of the substantial profits made from fishing. Indeed, a new interest in schooner construction and in sailing can be easily observed, as attested by the numerous ship¬ building sites in Belo and the absence of men and young boys in the village. They are employed as captains or sailors on the sailboats.