Maboan – notes on the construction of a dam

Synopsis

The colonial military offensive and consequent population exile during the Independence Struggle in Guinea-Bissau (1963-1974) led to the destruction of many mangrove rice fields. In every corner of Guinea-Bissau, rice is central to consumption and trade. Spikes in rice prices have emphasized the importance of recovering local rice production. Dams, dykes and drainage ditches enable the management of seawater and rain water for irrigation and require specialized knowledge and considerable labour efforts. Shot during four months in Caequene, a village in the south of Guinea-Bissau, Maboan portrays the construction of an 800 meter long dam. This dam is meant to resist a rising sea, strong spring tides, unpredictable rainfall, and international fluctuations in rice prices.

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