In the heart of the Malagasy capital lies a miniature boat building workshop that is shining the spotlight on the country’s artisanal industry. Madagascar, renowned for its exceptional flora and fauna, saw the emergence in 1993 of an extraordinary workshop called ‘The Village’.
Since its creation, ‘The Village’ has made ship models for the King of Spain and even for the Pope. The fame of this workshop now extends beyond Madagascar’s borders, with two of its creations to be exhibited at the Homo Faber biennial fair in Venice on September 30, 2024.
Homo Faber celebrates global artisanal excellence, and ‘The Village’ brilliantly represents Malagasy craftsmanship. Gregory Postel, a model enthusiast and French investor, became co-owner of ‘The Village’ last year. For him, the success of this workshop lies in the recognition of the artisans by global luxury experts.
Currently, 32 artisans work in this miniature shipyard in Antananarivo. Some of them were trained by the founder of the workshop, and in turn, they pass on their knowledge to new arrivals, due to the lack of a school specializing in crafts in Madagascar. Each step in the construction of the models is carefully explained by Romy Henintsoa, assistant manager of ‘The Village’.
From cutting the wood to manufacturing the parts and finishing, the construction of a model can take from one month to ten months, depending on its size and level of detail. The plans of the reproduced ships are obtained from museums, maritime associations or marine architects to ensure a faithful reproduction.
Mainly specialized in sailing boats, ‘The Village’ uses local materials such as Anakaraka wood and Malagasy cotton for the sails. Each model is carefully crafted, from the sanding stages to the installation of the sails, including painting and varnishing.
If before the pandemic, ‘The Village’ sold around 300 models per year, the restrictions related to COVID-19 have had an impact on its sales. Despite this, the workshop hopes to sell between 80 and 100 pieces in 2024. The prices of the models vary from 150 euros to more than 10,000 euros for the largest.
‘The Village’ embodies the excellence of Malagasy craftsmanship and the passion of artisans for their profession. With unique creations and unparalleled know-how, this workshop contributes to promoting Madagascar’s craft industry on the international scene.