gems, corundum, Madagascar.12, photography

We drove south from Ilakaka for about an hour on the tarmac road that led to a major mining village next to a river. Crossing the river, we again continued on a dirt track that led through the spectacular scenery that makes up southern Madagascar, with wide vistas punctuated by mesas and buttes against blue skies that seem to be unique to this land. Occasionally we would see people walking with bundles on their heads, supplies and mining implements, but just where they were going we had no clue. Finally, after some two hours of travel, we saw a series of pickup trucks parked on the horizon. As we approached, we heard the distant sounds of Malagasy music. Arriving at the line of trucks, we looked down and found thousands of people in a river washing for sapphire, while large speakers set up on trucks next to the river provided a surreal soundtrack to a scene that was one of the most incredible I’ve ever witnessed. Magic, pure magic. Madagascar is uncanny in the way she offers up these moments.