Helping develop the craft industry in Seychelles |23 September 2016

Tourism through culture is being enhanced with a revitalising programme for the Domaine de Val des Près craft village. The Seychelles Heritage Foundation of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Air Seychelles and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Madagascar organised a three-day visit to Madagascar for a ‘familiarisation trip project’.

The delegation, led by Aselma Pilate, SHF director of human resources, also comprised Lisie Agripine, the corporate sales manager at Air Seychelles; Mickey Arnephy, an artisan who specialises in ceramic/pottery; Joel Banane, who specialises in wood work and Brenda Valentin, who specialises in vegetal fibre work.

Madagascar is a country with a rich traditional, ethnical and cultural lifestyle. But it has a number of similarities with Seychellois culture and tradition. The Seychelles Heritage Foundation (SHF) thus felt that such visits would contribute to sharing savoir-faire and experience between Seychelles and Madagascar craftsmen in cultural sites. Such exchanges naturally form part of the Vanilla Islands strategy for Indian Ocean.

More than two million artisans in Madagascar are engaged in craftsmanship activities. Both countries have many innovative craft ideas which need to be revived and promoted to show the real value of their rich culture which will benefit their tourism industries. Members of the delegation pointed out that Madagascar is an interesting country not only for its national parks, but also for several of its cities where you can take a trip into the local culture and appreciate the Malagasy lifestyle.

The objective of the trip was to allow the three Seychellois artisans to create new working opportunities for both Seychellois and Malagasy people engaged in arts and crafts and to make connections with the public and visitors of their respective countries.

Our national airline, Air Seychelles, made the trip possible for the three Seychellois artisans operating at Domaine de Val des Près to develop and understand mutual profession identities and perspective and value in promoting both destinations. Air Seychelles flies to Madagascar three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

As sales manager with Air Seychelles, Ms Agripine said this familiarisation trip has allowed her to have a profound insight about the destination and understand potential exchanges between the two countries.

Day one:

The first mission of the delegation was a visit to the Minister for Culture Jean Jacques Rabenirina in the centre of Madagascar, Antananarivo. The delegation took the opportunity to discuss all the possibilities to explore both culture, find new innovative ideas along with the possibility of signing a partnership agreement between SHF and the Malagasy Ministry of Culture, Heritage and Craft.

The minister pointed out that he is ready to make such venture a reality for both countries to prosper in terms of culture.

“I am ready to see that exchange happen; both countries have so many great ideas which could benefit the artisans. We need to work together and share our culture so that everyone in the world can witness such beauty of both countries,” he said.

We visited a village called Ampangabe where we were introduced to a group of craft people specialising in pottery.  A road connecting to the village led to the relaxing rural agricultural landscape and one can admire rice fields and small farms. A demonstration of pottery making proved edifying and instructive. Making pottery on the wheel seems to be the most recognisable forming technique.  A pottery wheel is a device that spins around at various speeds. Clay is attached to the wheel head and is shaped with hands or tools as it spins around. After the pot is formed it is usually cut off the wheel to dry.

Mickey Arnephy, who specialises in ceramic/pottery and who is the only Seychellois making such product, was able to share his own expertise and thus a working relationship was established.

Day two:

The journey continued through another rural agricultural area to Andoharanofotsy to visit a vegetal and fibre work production. The road runs through several villages, where there are extensive rice fields. Along our journey we often met groups of people carrying everything on their head. This usually happens when there is a flea market in some village, with the people sometimes having to walk many, many miles.

Brenda Valentin, who specialises in vegetal fibre work, developed an interest in this art form at the age of seven.

She was excited to discover the process of how the Malagasy people transform vegetal fibre into amazing baskets made with colours from nature.

Handmade crafts in Madagascar such as mats, baskets, hats and carpets are made from indigenous fibres dyed with natural substances. Raw materials such as roots, cane, twigs, grasses, reeds and raffia are used by the Malagasy people to create such amazing art work.

Mrs Valentin explained that she wanted to share her knowledge and experience with the Malagasy people and establish new contacts so as to take up such business in fibre work in Seychelles.  She also said she is willing to teach Seychellois who has an interest in such craft.

We also visited a workshop that produces fibre bags at “Village Ambohimanala".

Day three:

Our last official visit was at a business specialising in wood work at Sabotsinamehana where the expertise of Joel Banane, a craftsman in wood work at the craft village at Au Cap, was brought to the fore.

“Madagascar is rich in wood essences, which allow artisans to produce marquetry objects or high quality sculptures.

Malagasy artisans have also developed a remarkable way of working with rough wood, creating furniture, decorative objects, wooden vehicles, etc…” he said.

From there, the delegation visited craft markets/outlets in the city.

During our three-day visit I, as journalist, have witnessed that to be a true craftsman you have to care deeply about the product you are creating. You have to fight for what you are creating, whether it is for yourself or for others. In a nutshell, craftsmanship deals with skills, passion and deep cultural identity.

Our three local artisans are confident that this trip has been fruitful and well-intentioned to enhance arts and crafts businesses at the craft village.

Text and photos U-Roy Jules