The underside of the sand

In Zanzibar, seaweed is a raw material as precious as it is discreet. Every day, on the tourist beaches in the north of the island, teams handpick these plants washed up by the sea. Their presence hinders swimming, but hides a dense economic circuit: the seaweed is washed, dried, sold locally, or exported to Asia, where it is used in cosmetics, pharmacopoeia, and the food industry.

In this photograph, there are no poses: the bodies are already at work, in the harsh morning light. Wheelbarrows, buckets, green overalls—everything is there, without decor. In the background, the pontoon of a luxury hotel emphasizes the contrast. The sand is not yet smooth: it will take hours, and invisible gestures, for it to become so.

This print is part of the Valoriser l'invisible series, and was selected by 1X.com for its documentary power. It bears witness to an ordinary, often overlooked, daily life: that of those who make beaches “perfect.”