REPUBLIC OF MADAGASKAR

A.    Introduction

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar  (Malagasy: Repoblikan'i Madagasikara [republiˈkʲan madaɡasˈkʲarə̥]; French: République de Madagascar) and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population and other environmental threats.

B.     History

Madagascar is inhabited by humans for the first time in 2000 years ago. The first inhabitants of Madagascar is an Indonesian or a mixture of Indonesian descent / Africa. Arab traders and then come in 800-900 AD trade along the northern coast. The first European to see Madagascar was a Portuguese sea captain, Diogo Dias, on August 10, 1500, after the ship changed course because of the wind when sailing to India. He named the island St. Lawrence. Then in the 1700s, the French attempted to build a military position on the northern coast but returned a failure. Until the late 19th century, the only area that was overrun by the French is Sainte Marie. Meanwhile, throughout the years around 1700, the Sakalava tribe on the west coast to build the kingdom first in Madagascar. In 1810, their opponents, Merina tribe, establishing the kingdom in almost all places in the island. Their king, Radama, build a relationship with the British nation and pave the way for missionaries to spread Christianity in the island and make a note of the Malagasy. Under the regime of the king Radama, a small industrial revolution brought the idea to the industry of the island. Radama died murdered his ex-wife, Ranalova, who terrorized the country for 33 years by persecuting Christians, expel foreigners, killing political opponents, and revive the tradition of killing babies born on an unlucky day. After the death Ranalova, relations with European nations re-established.

In 1883, the French invaded Madagascar and in 1896 the French power in the country, and finally Madagascar became a French colony. French nation Madagascar functioning as a source of timber and exotic spices, like vanilla. Malagasy people revolted against the French, the two largest opposition, namely in 1918 and 1947, but failed to gain independence until June 26 1960.

In 1975, Didier Ratsiraka took over the government of the country. He mastered Madagascar as a dictator until finally overthrown in 1991 in the midst of economic collapse. He again became president shortly thereafter and ruled until losing in the general election in 2001. The new president, Marc Ravalomanana, promised to uphold democracy in the country. Having initially started its business by selling his wares piggybacking yogurt on the streets, Ravalomanana finally built a business empire and became the richest man in Madagascar. Until 2005, he was president and interconnected economy continues to grow.

C.    Culture

The Madagascans are a very hospitable and welcoming people, although their relaxed attitude may be sometimes frustrating. Life in Madagascar is by history very French. The language is French, and the breakfasts too. So at least that can be familiar to some tourists.  Gifts should be offered if staying at a local village, particularly to the village headman. Money will be seen as an insult. Friends and acquaintances kiss each other 2, 3 or 4 times on each cheek every time they see each other.

Visitors are advised not to wear any military-style clothing and not to photograph military or police establishments. Tipping is not usual, although in European-style restaurants and hotels tips of 10-15% are expected. Almost all Malagasy combine the Christian faith (either Catholic or Protestant) with their traditional religion. Two groups, the Antalaotra in the northwest and the Antaimoro (‘Arab-Malagasy’) of the southeast, have adopted Muslim practices. In traditional religion, the Highest Being or Creator is Zanihari, or Andriananahary, now referred to Andriamanitra, who is neither male nor female.

The Malagasy follow a vast, complex system of beliefs pertaining to all aspects of everyday life. These very from village to village and even family to family. The many taboos are called Fady. There are three category of fady: those related to actions - for example believing it is fady  to sing while you are eating and if you do you will develop elongated teeth; those related to objects - for example, the Merina will not have funerals on Tuesdays as this may bring about another death in the family. Foreigners are exempt from having to adhere to fady, although it is sensible and considerate to find out as much as possible about this in regions you are visiting so as to avoid offending people. The most classical example of fady to which tourists might be confronted is the ban on the access to burial sites.

The most conspicuous element in traditional Malagasy clothing is the lamba, a wrapround sheet often printed with designs depicting everyday scenes. Some cheaper lambas also have slogans on them which should be checked before the cloth is paid for – some can be suggestive ! In the highlands, particularly among the Betsileo people, lambas are worn on the shoulder. If it trails off to the person’s right, it symbolises mourning. Lamba mena (red Lambas) are reserved for special occasions and are also used as burial shrouds.

The other noticeable element in Malagasy dress is the straw hat. These vary regionally, from broad-rimmed hats to brimless, tight-fitting, cone-shaped hats which can be seen in the south and central-west. Western influence is increasingly apparent and fashion (especially urban areas like Tana) tends to follow trends set by fashion magazines such as Elle and Vogue. There is therefore a huge demand for trainers, jeans and leather jackets.

D.    Language

The official language of Madagascar is Standard Malagasy (Malagasy Official). This language can be traced to the Malayo-Polynesian language family. Standard Malagasy taken from the Merina dialect was the first dialect to be written in Latin characters and is considered the literary dialect. The most similar language found outside of Madagascar is Ma'anyan, a language spoken in Borneo. Both Malagasy and Ma'anyan are similar to languages spoken on the western Indonesian archipelago. There are twenty-two dialects of Malagasy. Many of the dialects borrow from Bantu languages, Swahili, Arabic, English, and French. The government claims that all Malagasy can speak the Standard dialect because that is what is taught in schools. However, given the multiple array of dialects, and varying levels of literacy depending on the degree of isolation of an area, one cannot assume that the Malagasy from one region can understand the dialects spoken in other regions.

French emerged as the dominant language during the colonial period (1896–1960) and Malagasy became secondary. In 1972 Malagasy returned to prominence in education and related cultural changes led to the rejection of French influence. However, by 1982 it was evident that the "Malagachization" of society was failing and the government began to use French again. Today both Malagasy and French are used in government publications. Comorian, Hindi, and Chinese are also spoken by some immigrants.

E.     Religion

Religious Beliefs. An estimated 52 percent of the people hold indigenous beliefs; 41 percent are Christian (evenly divided between Roman Catholic and Protestant); and 7 percent are Muslim. However, many people hold a combination of indigenous and Christian or Muslim beliefs. The traditionally accepted supreme god is Zanahary (God on High) while Andriamanitra (the King of Heaven) is the Christian god. At the most fundamental level of traditional beliefs and social values is the relationship between the living and dead.

Religious Practitioners. A variety of traditional practitioners provide the functions of diviner, traditional healer, and/or astrologer. Clergy from either the Catholic or Protestant church are consulted alongside traditional practitioners. Illness, misfortune, financial hardships, and relationship problems are frequently connected to the discontent of ancestral spirits, making healers of all traditional practitioners.

Rituals and Holy Places. Burial tombs are a prominent feature of the landscape. The materials used vary depending on region, but the time and money used to construct and maintain them is significant and in many cases more costly than one's own household. The degree of elaboration of tombs reflects the level of privilege of the dead. People often live and work quite a distance from their ancestral tombs ( tanindrazana ) with the latter maintaining strong sentimental attachment and a desire to be buried in their natal tombs. Among the Merina and the Betsileo of the high plateau, the ceremony of famadihana is an opportunity to reaffirm one's link with ancestors. Often the deceased are buried temporarily near where they lived. Later, sometimes after many years of planning, the bones are removed from the tomb, wrapped in a new shroud, and transferred to the ancestral tomb. At that time the family decides whether to place the bones in the tomb of the mother or the father depending on group allegiance regarding descent.

Ancestral tombs are considered sacred places— particularly royal tombs. In the northwest, as elsewhere in the country, sacred places are abundant. Most villages have a sacred tree or other sacred place nearby.

Death and the Afterlife. Ancestral spirits are regarded as intermediaries between the living and either of the two supreme gods. The dead are viewed as having the power to affect the lives of the living. They are considered the most important members of the family, influencing lives on a day-to-day basis. Razana (ancestors) are the pulse of the life force and the creators of customs ( fomba ).

F.     Cuisine

Food in Daily Life. Rice is the staple of the Malagasy diet. It is usually accompanied by some form of kabaka (a protein dish such as fish, meat, chicken, or beans). In some parts of the island a side dish ( romazava ) made of green leafy vegetables in broth is common. Generally, side dishes serve to add flavor to the rice rather than provide nutrients. Most Malagasy entrees are prepared in one of four ways: fried, grilled, boiled in water, or cooked with coconut juice. A spicy condiment known as lasary in Malagasy and made of chili peppers, green mangos, or lemons can be added to enhance flavor. Food is generally prepared in a kitchen that is physically separated from the main house for fire safety. Meals are served in the house, on the veranda, or on mats placed on the ground outside the house. Lunch and dinner leftovers are warmed for breakfast the following morning. Breakfast consists of rice and a tea made of local herbs or leaves and sweetened with sugar. Some alternate breakfast foods include boiled manioc, maize porridge, or fried cakes made of rice flour. Water is the usual beverage served with meals. Rano ampango (water boiled in the rice cooking pot) is sometimes served.

Food taboos ( fady ) tend to be passed down within family groups and along ethnic lines. Some fady apply to daily life and some are observed during special circumstances such as pregnancy and lactation. Fady indrazana , taboos related to ancestral lineage, link Malagasy to their ethnic groups. For example, it is fady for most Sakalava to eat pork or eel. For Antandroy, sea turtle and cows without horns are taboo. When a man and woman from different ethnic groups marry, it is common for a woman to observe both her and her husband's fady indrazana as well as the fady which apply to both ethnic groups during pregnancy and lactation.

Vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, peppers, and zucchini are available year round. Fruit such as pineapples, coconuts, oranges, mangoes, bananas, apples, and leeche are subject to seasonal availability. Although improved transportation in recent years has increased the availability of such foods to isolated regions, they are generally unaffordable on a regular basis. Therefore, although a wide variety of foods is available, a significant portion of the population remains undernourished.

Traditional Malagasy restaurants ( hotely ) offer a plate of rice with a scoop of one of several kinds of stews. The geographical location of the hotely is often an indicator of what is offered. For example, hotelys along the coast will offer fish more frequently than those in the highlands. Restaurants in most major urban centers serve European-style Malagasy, French, Chinese, and Italian cuisine. French-style baguettes, pasta, and other non-traditional Malagasy cuisine can be found in villages near urban centers.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. For ceremonial meals and special occasions, extra meat is added to stews. Depending on a family's financial ability, traditional ceremonies such as burials, reburials, circumcision, tomb building, first hair cutting, and the coming out of the house of a newborn often involve the sacrifice of at least one zebu, a local breed of hump-back cow. Many families will serve one of several local alcoholic beverages such as palm wine, grain alcohol, rum, or beer. Family and friends assemble and participate in some aspect of ceremonial preparations. A person or family's adherence to ceremonial protocol pays respect to one's ancestors. The ultimate show of prestige is the ability to provide sacrificial cattle for ceremonies. The number of cattle slaughtered indicates the level of prosperity and the intent of honoring ancestors.