Inside the Rice Fields of Alakamisy Ambohimaha: Daily Life with the Betsileo Farmers of Madagascar
Set between gentle rolling hills and the red earth, is the quiet village of Alakamisy Ambohimaha, situated in the heart of Madagascar’s central highlands. This place, little known to the outside world is home for the Betsileo people. The Betsileo are one of the island’s most skilled communities. They are not only excellent farmers but they are proud of what remains true of their traditional heritage. We sent our photographer, Fetny to capture some amazing moments.
photo credit: Fetny/ for madagascar.com
The land around here is lush and green, with countless little creeks and ponds. The locals from every corner of the village rise before the dawn each morning to begin working in their fields. They step noiselessly over rows of paddy, as they begin their day’s work.
Video credit: Fetny/ for madagascar.com
Fetny spent the day out working with ordinary farmers in his father’s village. He captured their work rhythms and their close connection to the earth. Fetny says that people from the Betsileo tribe are known to be very hard working and strong.
Morning in the Fields
At the crack of dawn, the sunlight once more reddened the eastern sky.
The women dressed themselves in lamba of a patterned design and went out onto narrow, dirty paths to plant bright green shoots of new rice.
photo credit: Fetny/ for madagascar.com
Some of them carried broad baskets on their heads, filled with small rice seedlings that had recently sprouted in their beds ready for transplantation into the paddy.
It was not so much that these women were working at all. Though their labor was backbreaking, they were all laughing and joking. “That’s how we live our lives,” said one of them with a smile as she adjusted her hat. “Every morning starts like this. We also take joy out of it.”
Hands in the Mud
Along another muddy portion, groups of men were tilling the soil with hand-made wooden implements while up to their knees in water. Their trousers and shirts got wet for it, but they worked rhythmically. As a result of years of practice, all the moves were executed unerringly.
photo credit: Fetny/ for madagascar.com
In a single sigh of relief, one farmer tells us about his experience working the soil. “We’ve been doing this since we were young. When people don’t labor, it’s not good for them and trotting off all over the place! But the land feeds our families. We respect it with fear.”
The Betsileo have certainly earned their reputation as talented workers. It is different from other places in Madagascar, where due to its detachment from the world everything is done by hands, as you might call it, an anachronism.
Elders and Wisdom
Up on higher ground, the elders wearing fat shawls clustered near field edges. While overlooking the workers below, they exuded a quiet glow of authority.
One old man in the group leaned on his cane and said while checking his small phone, “We don’t need machines. Our hands know this land better than any engine ever will.”
photo credit: Fetny/ for madagascar.com
Their role is no less important. Among them are examples and advisors, teachers and instructors. To the Betsileo, working in the fields is not a mere matter of hard labor, it is their culture.
A Living Culture
What people see in Alakamisy Ambohimaha is not staged just for the benefit of travelers. It is the day to day life of honest and hardworking people, rooted in tradition. The Betsileo do not close the door on changes. Rather they let it blow through calmly. Their methods of farming, their tools etc. all reflect a relationship with the land going back generations deep.
They traditionally use Zebu, for ploughing the fields. The Zebu, a symbol of wealth and social status, are highly valued among the Betsileo tribe and many others in the highlands.
photo credit: Fetny/ for madagascar.com
These photos are not just images, they are open windows on a lifestyle that defies change.
Planning Your Tour
If you’re traveling between Fianarantsoa and Ranomafana and you have a guide, ask him to organize a short stopover in Alakamisy Amobhimaha. It’s not one of the usual tourist stopping places but at least one of the most authentic cultural experiences you will get in Madagascar.
Location: Alakamisy Ambohimaha, central Madagascar
Best season: April to October (dry season)
Recommended for: Cultural travelers, photographers, people interested in farming practices