{"id":5392,"date":"2020-08-06T21:44:24","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T20:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tazmpictures.com\/site\/?p=5392"},"modified":"2025-10-20T23:45:55","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T22:45:55","slug":"artisans-documentary-series-final-episode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tazmpictures.com\/site\/?p=5392","title":{"rendered":"“Artisans” documentary series – final (?) episode"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some of you may have seen my “Artisan” series of mini-documentaries.<\/a> The plan was to highlight different occupations in Madagascar’s informal sector that involve a specialized skill. Jobs that don’t really exist in the West, with detail that may even surprise some people in Madagascar. I didn’t expect the project to take over two years!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this final (is it?) episode, I chat with the carpenter and multi-talented musician, Raymond Randriamiarisoa, who provided the soundtrack that has been used throughout this series, played on a valiha, or a kind of zither, that is considered Madagascar’s national instrument. He also makes other instruments out of bamboo and other materials, and he plays them all expertly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film has some sections that are a bit hazy or noisy, but since I left Madagascar more than a year ago, I can’t exactly go and re-shoot. But I am pleased to finish this series before I head off to journalism school to learn how to do this professionally, instead of as a hobby. OK, obsession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a preview, here is a short clip of Randrina (as he calls himself) playing another of Madagascar’s traditional instruments, a type of banjo which can be purchased for very little from Madagascar’s many roadside stands. And then I hope you’ll check out the actual mini-docu, either on YouTube or Vimeo. Be sure and maximize the resolution your internet provider can handle – best results on Vimeo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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