Antandroy Village
As we were getting ready to leave Zombitse Ecolodge, Lova asked if we had water in our room. Apparently our hostess was wondering, as we hadn't come and screamed at her like everyone else does. We told him no, we just did without. He said she told him we were the best guests she'd ever had.
As we headed further south towards Toliara and the coast, we passed Antandroy villages and many tombs. When an Antandroy person dies, a large funeral celebration is held; the deceased's cattle are killed and the meat served to the guests and family. The dead person's house is then burned down, to prevent ancestor spirits from haunting people of the village. The horns/skulls of the zebu killed for the celebration are used to adorn the dead person's tomb.
It is an extremely dry land; too dry to raise rice. We saw people plowing fields to plant casava, yams, millet and maize.
At an Antandroy village I talked to a teacher who was making balls from the bark of the Katrafay tree. It is used for many things; people referred to it often. The Antandroy also paint their faces with Tabaky to serve as a sunscreen.
We ran into men hauling roofing material on their cargo bikes, and people returning home on their zebu carts from the market in Toliara.
At Auberge de la Table we enjoyed a shower and watching birds near the pool.
Dona was tired and wanted to rest, but I took a walk in the adjacent Arboretum d'Antsokay. My guide was Xxx, a virtual fountain of knowledge.
We came across a Mahafaly Sand Snake, which Xxx picked up so I could see it better. I was going to pick it up but wasn't sure if it would be considered ok. Anyway, in the process, it bit him. It wasn't a big deal, as they are not really poisonous. Shortly after we came to a Katrafay tree, known for its healing properties. This is the same tree from whose bark the Antandroy woman was making "medicine balls."
After a restful afternoon and evening walk in the Arboretum, we headed north along the coast the next morning. We got a quick tour of Toliara as we drove through.
Madagascar used to be self-sufficient in rice production, but with its exploding population and drought it now has to import rice. We saw lots of freight trucks heading out to deliver bags of rice unloaded in the port of Toliara.
