Madagascar culture and traditions

Image by skeeze from Pixabay 

Happy Madagascar Independence Day! Madagascar gained independence from France in 1960 and commemorates its liberation on the 26th of June. Though often associated with the movie Madagascar, it isn't just Lemurs who like to "move it." As usual, I have found ten facts about the culture of the island that I thought were fascinating. 

1. It's astrologers who decide on the wedding day, or the stars I should say, for those of the Betsileos tribe. Madagascar has many unique customs when it comes to marriage, such as the Bara tribe's sacrifice of a cow to signify the marriage bond, and the Betsileos conducting of a lengthy analysis of their partner's family history before deciding on an engagement. 

Image by aga2rk from Pixabay 

2. Quite admirably, despite the impact of colonization, globalization, and tourism, some Malagasy continue to wear traditional clothing, or a mix of western t-shirts and Malagasy wraps. Lamba is a cloth wrapped around the waist, worn by men and women. But this varies depending on the area. For example, those in higher areas tend to wear a white wrap from the shoulders rather than the waist. Straw hats are also regularly worn for protection against the sweltering sun. 

3. As well as dressing according to location, the people of Madagascar also dress according to status. The less affluent, especially those in rural areas, tend to wear more traditional clothing. For men, this may include a big shirt with shorts or trousers; for women, dresses are more common, or a wrap skirt and top at the coast. In higher classes, western clothes are more common, with blue jeans becoming increasingly fashionable, but lambas are still prevalent. 

4. In Madagascar, bamboo plays a part in music. A valiha is a traditional Malagasy instrument similar to those found in the Philipines and Indonesia. It is a stringed bamboo tube, played horizontally like a guitar. Described as the national instrument of Madagascar, the name comes from the word "vadya," meaning a sacred musical instrument. 

Image by Michele De Vivo from Pixabay 

5. Madagascar has various traditional sports and games. Moraingy is a form of martial art, a bare-fisted fight so popular that many neighboring countries like Mauritius have also adopted it. Originally used to test the strength of young men, but both genders now compete, though most participants remain aged 10 to 35. Music is a must throughout, with the competitors often dancing to aggravate the opponent and their supporters. Participants are both valued and feared by the community. Fanorona is a game I'd like to try, a board game that is played by two people. You can play it online too, so I highly recommend checking it out!

6. Recognize the name Ranavalona? This "evil" queen of Madagascar is featured in the Flashman novels, playing a large part in Malagasy history. Though she did manage to defend Madagascar from Europe throughout her reign, her mass slaughter of Christians, other kingdoms, as well as executive contenders, resulted in halving the population of Madagascar in only the six years between 1833 and 1839. Her methods were brutal, such as the tangena ordeal. The suspect was poisoned and their liability determined by whether they could eat three pieces of chicken skin. 

7. The people of Madagascar have a lot of reverence for the dead. One beautiful and unique tradition is famadihana. The deceased's bones are taken from the family tomb and placed in a special lamba. A well-paid speaker then makes a speech called a kabary, including numerous traditional proverbs. The bones then return to the tomb. 

Image by Armi Lafiniarivo from Pixabay 

8. To the western world, pirates are often just a fairytale. However, Madagascar was once home to the criminals of the seas. In the graveyards today, you can find the resting places of brigands who used the island as a base to stay at when not on the hunt for ships. So copious were the pirates that Ile Sainte-Marie to the east of Madagascar was known as "the island of pirates." 

9. Madagascar has around 20 different ethnic groups. Merina is the largest group, making up almost a quarter of the population. They live on the plateau; Merina means "elevated people." Other groups are named according to their appearance, such as Tsimihety, which means "those who do not cut their hair." The Mahafaly are "those who make taboos."

10. Most people speak the national language, Malagasy. Here are a few basic phrases:

1. Hello (formal) = manao ahoana e
2. How are you (formal) = manao ahoana ny fahasalamanao
3. What is your name? = iza no anaranao
4. My name is... = ny anarako dia
5. Goodbye = veloma

Now for a quick quiz! Let's see how much you know about Malagasy culture! The answers are at the bottom of the page.

1. What is the name of Madagascar's "evil" queen?
2. What is the name of Madagascar's national instrument?
3. What is this instrument made of?
4. Who decides on the wedding day in the Betsileos tribe?
5. How do you say goodbye in Malagasy?

I hope you enjoyed this post. As ever, please subscribe, comment, and share. Look out for new posts about the effect of colonization coming soon. 

Here are the answers to the test. How many did you get?

1. Ranavalona
2. Valiha
3. Bamboo
4. An astrologer
5. Veloma

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africa/madagascar/articles/facts-about-madagascar/

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-culture-of-madagascar.html

https://www.britannica.com/place/Madagascar/Ethnic-groups

https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/malagasy.htm