Photo Journal

Marigot

Port of Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

One hour east of the seaside city of Jacmel, the municipality of Marigot sits right between the edge of the water and an important element of everyday people’s lives.

Marigot’s farmers’ market is a salient feature of the village. An important pulse point, the market only operates on Saturdays. Boats arriving from Anse-à-Pitre dock at the port hours before the sun rises over the village.
 
large wooden boat with haitians on the open ocean

Boat arriving from Anse-à-Pitres

Photo: Franck Fontain

The boats are a great way to kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand, they carry goods to Marigot, and on the other, because road conditions are awful, they facilitate the transportation of passengers.
 
group of haitians stading on wharf with boats

People waiting on the wharf in Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

These boats carry people heading to or from places like Savane Zonbi, Thiotte, Anse-à-Pitres, or the Dominican Republic.

 

large wooden boats with haitians docking on beach

Boat from Anse-à-Pitres docking in Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

The scene at the port is both very Haitian and extremely picturesque. Nimble and hardworking men move packages off the boats and onto the docks.
 
man standing on boat pulling a large rope

A man mooring a boat in Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

Wading through water up to their chests, they balance very large sacks of coal, heavy coolers stuffed with fish, and even stacks of packed cardboard boxes on their heads.
 
two haitians weighing fish at market

People working at the fish market in Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

From the docks, all these packages are loaded onto trucks headed to other cities, but-- careful! These workers move fast, and need you to be out of their way. There’s no time to waste!
 
a fish market in haiti with many people

The fish market in Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

The coolers of fish are taken to the nearby fish market; an open building located just a short walk from the wharf. This is where fish is weighed and priced.
 

People unloading goods from the boats

Photo: Franck Fontain

As any farmers’ market in Haiti, haggling is a must, and commotion is everywhere; from fish vendors to other merchants crisscrossing the building.
 
to haitian men sitting on a stony beach with boats

Two men watching the boats being unloaded

Photo: Franck Fontain

Large amounts of fish and seafood in Marigot regularly make their way to plates in Port-au-Prince, as middlemen come to stock up for the capital’s restaurants every week.

 

aerial view of coastal village with market area and boats

Sun rising over the port of Marigot

Photo: Franck Fontain

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