Algaculture, a photo from Zanzibar, East

Photographer's Note

On my last day in Paje, I got up early in the morning to see the sunrise, like usual. But the day was cloudy and I went back to my hostel, disappointed. Then, I thought that I would go to the beach once more, just as a farewell. What I saw was incredible. I was going in the shallow water of the low tide and was delighted to see the sea fields of algae.
From BBC:
Seaweed has been hailed as a new superfood, and it's also found in toothpaste, medicine and shampoo. In Zanzibar, it's become big business - and as it has been farmed principally by women, it has altered the sexual balance of power.
Just after dawn, a group of women carrying ropes and sticks on their heads walk to the beach to plant seaweed at low tide.
Knee deep in the water, they drive the sticks into the sand. Small pieces of seaweed are then attached to rope strung out between the posts. In just over six weeks, these seedlings will grow tenfold and be ready to harvest. Some will be eaten but most will be dried, sold to a local broker and exported.
Raucous laughter mingles with the sound of wet skirts flapping in the breeze. The women crack jokes and exchange gossip - it's like a watery neighbourhood allotment.
When seaweed farming was first introduced in the early 1990s, men thought it wasn't worth their while. They preferred fishing or jobs in tourism. But some didn't want their wives to farm either.
Seaweed farming has proved a liberating force on the overwhelmingly Muslim island. Until recently most women in the villages only left their houses to go to a funeral, a wedding or to visit a sick relative. Their isolation was even reflected in the architecture - many houses have stone benches along the outside wall to allow men to receive visitors at home without compromising the privacy of their women indoors.
Two more photos in the Workshops.

ikeharel, holmertz, burmaman, Royaldevon, ChrisJ, ricardomattos, pierrefonds, jhm, PaulVDV, ktanska, jean113 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (93452) 2021-02-19 1:29

Hello Malgo,
These are very interesting photos, which also happen to look good. The mild colours of the seaweed and the shallow water are very nice, and of course the woman busy at work makes it a perfect daily life photo. This is a "nothing special" that rises high above nothing special because it shows something important.
Kind regards,
Gert

burmaman (1014) 2021-02-19 2:49

Hello Malgo!
Alga and seaweed are the future food and already very common in many asian countries.
And the good thing :planting ,nursing and harvesting them creates no ecological disaster.
Great compopsition with the farmer at a good position, the diagonal row of sticks and the tourist free beach.
Regards,Ronny

Silvio1953 (206835) 2021-02-19 3:05

Ciao cara Malgo, interesting scene with woman at work, great clarity, wonderful natural colors and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

Royaldevon (76608) 2021-02-19 4:03

Hello Malgo,

I found your photographs and the accompanying notes incredibly interesting! The idea of these women, forging their own, useful paths in life, is incredibly uplifting.
Seaweed is a manageable resource; I believe 'Body Shop' was borne on such products.

Do you remember the photograph that I posted of seaweed being harvested at Roscoff? That was big business, this is being developed by women with ideas and determination.

Thanks for sharing this,
Bev :-)

ChrisJ (160994) 2021-02-19 4:12

Hi Malgo

Good to see the women working outdoors and making a little extra money for supporting their families by raising seaweed and selling it on the market. I'd hazard a guess it goes to Korea and Japan. They wrap rice in it for sushi and Gimbap. The bg beach looks nice. Tfs!

ricardomattos (15468) 2021-02-19 4:30

Witaj Malgo,

Muito interessante esta nota explicativa. Fico feliz em saber que isto traz mais liberdade para estas mulheres e também renda para sobreviverem. As fotos são lindas e realmente a última do WS ficou mais artística mas eu entendi a sua intenção de mostrar também a vila. Mais uma vez você deu um show de fotografia e cultura. TFS!

Meus parabéns e abraço

Ricardo

pierrefonds (104342) 2021-02-19 5:02

Hi Nalgo,

You have captured well the action of the woman. The point of view is showing the details of the beach in the background. I appreciate the different tints of colors of the water. Have a nice day.

Pierre

jhm (203847) 2021-02-19 5:38

Hello Malgo,

Nice panoramic view about fields and also one woman work in water.
Maybe good for showing at us young people, what that is work for food.
Composition and presentation are superb.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

ikeharel (106327) 2021-02-19 6:12

That is a wonderful take, Malgo, did well on the three photos.
Good view across, marvelous water colors, the lady at work enliven the scene.
Good afternoon,
Ike

jmdias (103792) 2021-02-19 9:55

malgo

I never saw such plantations, I ever saw wild algae and I know chilenians and japanese took them from the sea, but not in a plantation. the sand and water was so clear. nice views you got. surprising.

take care

jorge

PaulVDV (55455) 2021-02-19 10:46

Hello Malgo,
These are really unique photos. I've never seen anything like that.
Your first photo and the main one are both wonderful.
A very special subject. But also the colour of the sea and the inclusion of the woman make the pictures very appealing.
Best regards, Paul

lousat (130487) 2021-02-19 14:57

Ciao Malgo,i remember well the women working to collect algae,what a perpsectives in your 3 pics,absolutely amazing,i like it! Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

ifege (33417) 2021-02-19 19:30

Hi Malgo
It is interesting to see seaweed being farmed. A good trio of photos of the industry and especially having the woman working in the main one.
cheers
Ian

ktanska (40473) 2021-02-20 1:39

Hi Malgo,
Very well framed view of this less than usual method of farming. You have a good close angle. I like hte dark sky in the background, making shallow water look relatively bright.
Kari

jean113 (22477) 2021-02-20 6:54

Hello Malgo, this is the kind of picture that is perfect for TE, 'learning about the world'.
Three excellent pictures.
Your main post is beautifully composed with a view of the village in the background, and a strong diagonal line of the wooden posts in the water.
The sea looks very clean, perfect for growing seaweed.
Thanks for sharing, kind regards, Jean.

pajaran (103555) 2021-02-21 23:44

Pozdrav.
Interesantan poogled i trenutak, dobar teskt ...
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom, perspektivom i dobrim tekstom.
Lepe fotografije i uhvaceni trenuci.
Tezak posao u vodi.
Zelim vam sve najbolje u novoj nedelji koja je pocela.
Paja.

GyurMaster (21715) 2021-02-22 4:34

Dear Malgo,

Besides I like the play with the words: 'Algaculture', I like the photo as well. Its a well-composed and well-snapped photograph.

Best Wishes,
Gy.