Vezo
Vezo literally means Fishing people. The Vezo people are often referred to as Vezo-Sakalava. They are not an individual tribe, they can be seen as a clan of the Sakalava. Their home is the southwestern coast of Madagascar, reaching from Morondava in the west to Faux Cap in the south. Morombe is the Vezo capital, a small city between Toliara (Tulear) and Morondava.
The Vezo are skilled fishermen and excellent boatmen. Their colourful canoes are related to the Malayo-Polynesian canoe. The Vezo canoe is actually a hollowed tree trunk with one outrigger pole and a small rectangular sail.
Vezo people are also noted for their tombs. The graves are dug into the sand in a hidden place, with a wooden fence erected around it. The main four poles are decorated with wooden carved figures, some of which are even erotic.
Malagasy proverb Vezo nenga-daka, tsy misy raha vitany. A Vezo without a boat cannot exist.
