Zebu cart

It's sunrise in Sambirano and a beautiful view from the bridge in Ambanja is unfolding. The valley towards the southeast and the island of Nosy Komba are visible in the distance to the northwest. A small traffic jam is forming on the narrow bridge, mostly made up of zebu carts rather than cars.

The carts are filled with fresh crops brought in from the countryside by farmers who have been on the move since before dawn. They are heading into town to sell their goods at the fruits and vegetables markets.

Zebu carts, or Omby Sarety in Malagasy (Aomby in northern dialect) are common sights in and around Ambanja and across the country. These zebu-led carts remain as practical and relevant among farmers today as they have since ancient times.

Dozens of workshops produce charrettes in Ambanja. One of them is led by Mr Theodore, who, along with his team of six skilled carpenters, manually assembles around 50 charrettes per year without using motorised power tools.

The design and model are always the same: A simple two-wheeler that easily attaches to one or more zebus. A charrette takes about one week to build and costs 1,800,000 Ariary (about USD 400).