Madagascar is renowned for its unique wildlife, but it also
boasts abundant tropical rainforest and beaches — and a strong cultural
heritage. For the adventurous traveller looking for a fascinating and unusual
destination, Madagascar has a tremendous amount to offer. Report by Paul and
Sarah McBride.
Wreathed in
mystery and strange taboos, Malagasy culture follows a devout belief in the
power of departed ancestors. A large cash donation from the UN one year for the
improvement of the Malagasy rice production was used instead to improve the
tombs of long dead ancestors in the belief that the national rice yield would
improve if the ancestors were comfortable. The donors were not amused and the
Malagasy couldn’t understand why!
Despite having 18 different
tribes, the country shares one language and a belief in the power of the dead.
A man will live in a shack all his life but when he dies his family will starve
to put his body in a palatial tomb.
Dead ancestors are considered to
be potent forces that continue to share in family life. If they are remembered
by the living, the Malagasy believe, they will thrive in the spirit world and
can be relied on to look after the living. The Malagasy burial, second burial
and “bone turning” are an important part of their culture.
For the turning of the bones a family will dig up their dead ancestors at the
appropriate spiritual time and parade the deceased around the village, showing
them the new developments, all the while talking to them as though they were
alive. Then they clean the departed’s bones and wrap them carefully in a
fresh shroud (Iamba mena) for re-burial. The old shroud is presented to a
recently married couple in the family to make love on, in the belief that the
anscestor’s worth will inhabit any resulting off-spring.
The
family of the departed will have to feed hundreds of people at the feast that
follows the re-burial, and this often bankrupts the family. However, the
Malagasy live for today and believe that if they appease the ancestor, that
ancestor will look kindly on the family’s future.
The Malagasy
have hundreds of fadys (taboos), though these change depending on the region
and to whom you are talking. On the north-east coast they will not work in the
rice fields on Tuesday and Thursdays. If someone gives you three of something
and you do not give something back you fall under their power. In certain
places you cannot eat pork; in others they avoid the cloven hoof. In Imerina it
is fady to hand an egg directly to someone — it must first be placed on
the ground.
The Malagasy implicitly believe in the strength of their
healers and sorcerers. In every market you will find healing plants that have
been collected in the forests or grasslands, to cure a multitude of ailments,
from malaria to liver disease; even to stop miscarriages. The recent discovery
that the Madagascan “Rosy Periwinkle” — a common flower —
can cure child leukaemia electrified the medical world.
The Mpanandro
(magic man) of the village will be consulted on all family issues. He has a
deep understanding of Vintana, a practice where each day is associated with a
colour, thus making it good or bad for certain events. He is very often feared
and treated with the utmost respect by all.
The people are as diverse
as the island’s geography. They are believed to have come from
Indonesia/Malaya around 1,500 years ago. There is a very strong African
connection among the coastal population but still their language sways more
closely to Malayo-Polynesian, interspersed with a few noticeable Bantu-Swahili
words.
Later came the Arab influence along the east coast. Islamic
culture can be seen today in many local customs. However, the Merina people
from the highlands around Antananarivo — who consider themselves the
ruling class — may have only arrived as recently as 500 years ago and have
true Indonesian characteristics. More recent migratory influences have been
from Indian, Chinese and French settlers who have added a strange but often
attractive appearance to these independent Malagasy natives.
Rampant
disease and the natives’ hostility stopped European settlers from setting
down in the sixteenth century. From 1810 the country was united under one king,
Radama I, a Merina, and the powerful Merina kingdom was forged. Britain had
the first foreign interests in Madagascar and sent many missionaries to teach
Christianity to the natives, who willingly accepted the faith as it was very
close to their own belief in the one God, Andriamanitra. Britain signed
treaties with Madagascar recognising it as an independent state. However, under
the rule of Queen Ranavalona I, in power for 33 years following Radama I,
terror reigned and many missionaries were massacred. This led to much conflict
with England and France.
After her death and the subsequent
assassination of the pro-European king Radama II, the monarchy went into a
decline. Power shifted to the Prime Minister, who married the Queen. He was
then overthrown by his brother, who proceeded to marry three successive Queens
but who alone exercised power.
After a 30-month war the French invaded
Madagascar in 1890 and in 1896 it became a French colony. It remained under
French rule until 1960 when it gained independence after the bloodiest episode
of its history. Many French influences remain. Madagascar is the fourth
poorest nation on earth, although it is very rich in minerals. Currently 50% of
the population is under 14 years of age and the average family size is 6.6
people. However, everyone has enough to eat — even the 25,000 abandoned
children who live on the streets of Antananarivo. The staple diet of the
Malagasy is rice. They eat boiled rice, accompanied by a sauce which is usually
a mixture of fat, bones and gristle, at least once a day.
For all
their poverty and lack of basics you will never see a nation that smiles as
much as the Malagasy. As one Englishman, Richard Boothby, said in the late
sixteenth century: “The Malagasy are the happiest people in the
world.” Little has changed. The Malagasy are a cheerful nation of poets
and dreamers.
Because of the variety and vastness of this island
nation it would take years to visit all the areas in the entire country, let
alone understand each region’s complex fadys and beliefs. All of these
combine to make Madagascar so special and so different from other African
states.
Your first view of Madagascar will likely be from Ivato
airport where a taxi ride will take you into the capital, Antananarivo. Tana,
as it is known, is set high on the central plateau at 1,469 metres above sea
level. Although in terrible disrepair, it is a beautiful city of colourful
houses stacked on the hillsides and surrounded by bright green paddyfields. One
of the largest markets in the world, Zoma, can be found in the Avenue de
L’Independence but the traffic is crazy and most major roads are still
cobbled.
There are many shops, nearly always run by Indians, a few
museums and a zoo. Unfortunately the famous Queen’s Palace, one of the
most amazing wooden buildings in the world, was burnt down in 1996.
The country’s transport system has seen little repair since the French
left in 1960. But it is possible to visit nearly all of the country if you
don’t mind relying on the available transport, even if it is a Zebu
(Malagasy cattle) cart.
Dilapidated Taxi brousses (bush taxis) leave
Central Tana hourly to take you anywhere across the island along the only four
major roads, which run north, south, east and west. The road east takes you
from the highlands down to the port of Toamasina or Tamatave. It usually only
takes 12 hours, however 36 hours is not at all unusual for the 260 mile
trip.
A train does run to Tamatave occasionally but it all depends on
the state of the tracks at the time. It is one of the most beautiful railway
journeys in the world if you’re lucky enough to catch it.
Tamatave Port is the life-line of Madagascar. The town still seems to live in
the times of the French colonialists, with palm-fronded walks and once-fine
colonial buildings. Full of restaurants, bars and hotels, disco’s and
prostitutes abound. A beautiful white sandy beach stretches for miles around
the port, but swimming is not recommended as the sea is shark-infested.
South of Tamatave is the Pangalanes. A regular boat service takes you
through a series of natural lakes linked by artificial canals built by the
French for commercial use. Often you will catch a glimpse of the resident
crocodiles. The east coast is a naturalist’s paradise: A visit from a team
from Kew Gardens in 1992 discovered 24 new species of palm. It has rugged
mountain scenery with rivers tumbling down to the Indian ocean, a tropical
atmosphere, friendly people and is abundant in fruit and seafood.
The
east coast island of Isle St Marie is famous for its fearsome pirates and its
local diving and snorkelling. There are many beautiful reefs with abundant
colourful tropical fish. August is a good time to visit the island, as Hump
Back Whales travel the waters to spawn between Isle St Marie and the
mainland.
The coastal road north from Tamatave becomes a goat track at
Soanierana-Ivongo. Usually useable only in the dry season, it passes through
some of the last untouched rainforest in Madagascar. This is full of a
profusion of flowers and orchids with amazing reptiles such as chameleons and,
even further north, where the road ends, you come to the last remaining
territory of the famous Aye Aye, a nocturnal lemur that few have seen.
South of Tana is the most exotic part of Madagascar. It was at the forefront of
trade during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Dutch and English
bartered silver and beads to be re-provisioned and by the middle of the
seventeenth century it was another favourite haunt for pirates.
The
Malagasy of the south are more African and know hardship only too well. Over
the last century, the area has constantly suffered years of drought. Here you
will find the most amazing, highly decorated, tombs and the Isalo National
Park, home to many different species of lemurs, 55 types of birds and rare
endemic plants.
The spiny forest, situated in the famous Berenty
National Park, is home to very exotic plant specimens. Here you will find
plants that grow to nearly 15 metres and are mistakenly called cacti. There are
trees that support branches laden with floral sausages or adorned with leaves
that look like coins.
At Tulear on the south west coast, reef marine
life is abundant. There are beautiful tropical beaches to the north and south,
the Bezaha-Mahafaly reserve and the Mahafaly tombs. Nearby St Augustine is also
worth a visit. Fort Dauphin, the capital of the south, is bordered on three
sides by beaches, backed by green mountains and, close to Berenty, the bay of
Sainte Luce and Libanona is, surely, one of the most beautiful beaches in the
entire world.
The place to be seen in the north of Madagascar is the
island of Nosy be. It is very expensive and renowned as a wealthy tourist haunt
but it is a wonderful place, fondly known as the “Perfumed Isle” from
the heavy sent of ylang-ylang that envelops the island. Nosy be is situated in
some of the most beautiful waters of Madagascar.
In comparison to
other developing countries, tourism to Madagascar is still in its early stages.
There are few high-rise hotels. It is very easy to go somewhere and be the only
person for miles. For the hardy traveller, the lack of amenities in Madagascar
offers little problem. But be warned. Travel in Madagascar is not for the
pampered or the spoilt. In Tana it is often difficult to find a hotel. However,
outside the city families will often take you into their hut or let you set up
camp on their land.
The people are warm and friendly and, although you
will regularly get short-changed, they will always be there to mystify you with
their history, culture and traditions — and to cheer you on with an often
toothless grin.
A World of Wonder - A Look at Madagascar’s Amazing
Fauna.
Almost 90% of
Madagascar’s animals are found nowhere else on earth. Look out for:
MAMMALS
Lemurs: Undoubtably Madagascar’s most well-known
mammal. In contrast to most primates, the females are dominant in the troop.
Lemurs have an acute sense of smell, which is used in communication, marking
territories and information gathering.
Fifty different varieties
survive in five families and 14 genera, giving Madagascar the honour of hosting
over one third of the world’s primate families. Four species have recently
been discovered or rediscovered, including the pygmy mouse lemur, which can fit
in an eggcup. The largest lemur is the indri, weighing 7kg, and one of the
rarest is the nocturnal aye-aye.
Carnivores: There are only eight
species of carnivore in Madagascar and all are endemic. They belong to the
family Viverridae, commonly known as civets, genets and mongooses. The most
unusual looking is the fosa, which resembles a short-legged puma but usually
weighs no more than 10kg and half of its 2m length is tail, enabling it to be
very agile in the trees. The fanalouc is the most specialised, and uncommon,
carnivore. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has a long snout and well
developed claws to help it catch invertebrates.
Tenrecs: These
insectivores thrive in Madagascar. Five of the 21 species are spiny — like
hedgehogs — the others furry. Tenrecs can produce up to 31 embryos at one
time. By far the most remarkable member of this family is the rare aquatic
tenrec, which has webbed feet and a flattened tail for swimming.
BIRDS
Madagascar has only 258 bird species
but 110 of these are endemic. Most are dependent on the forests or wetlands.
The most common of the endemics are the vangas, which have a diverse range of
beak size, shape and colour. Primitive parrots are commonly seen throughout
Madagascar, as are the coua family, all of which have featherless blue skin
around the eyes and a long broad tail. The island is home to the world’s
rarest duck, the Madagascar pochard, and research has shown that the Madagascar
serpent eagle, the Madagascar red owl, the Sakalava rail and the slender-billed
flufftail are not extinct, as thought. Two new bird species have been
discovered since 1990.
REPTILES
More than 300 species are found on Madagascar, with over
90% being endemic. Chameleons: About half the world’s 135 species are
unique to Madagascar. The animal’s independent moving eyes are ideal for
identifying insects. It catches these with its sticky tongue, which can extend
to a length equal to the animal’s body. Its ability to change colour is
used to defend territories, convey emotions and communicate with potential
mates. Chameleons typically vary in length from 10cm to 60cm, although
stump-tailed chameleons can be as little as 30mm long.
Geckos:
Madagascar boasts a vast array of gecko species, displaying probably the
world’s greatest mastery at camouflage. They vary in size from a mere 7cm
to 30cm. The leaf-tailed geckos are probably the most intriguing and
oft-photographed.
Iguanids: The presence of iguanids presents
something of a riddle as the stronghold of this group of lizards is in Central
and Southern America. The small, “three-eyed” lizard is particularly
common, as is the spiny-tailed iguanid, whose tail looks like an elongated fir
cone. Snakes: There are 85 species of snakes on the island, including
several members of the boa family. The spear-nosed snake is one of the more
absurd-looking species.
Tortoises: Madagascar is home to some of the
world’s rarest tortoises, including the plowshare, which has a long,
upturned projection extending from its lower shell. This is one of four endemic
species.
Frogs: Although thought to number 300, there are 170 species
of frogs recorded on Madagascar, 99% of which are endemic. The mantella family
are among the most brightly-coloured and show many similarities with the poison
arrow frogs of South America. Although numerous tree frogs are present, they
are largely nocturnal and seldom seen.
INVERTEBRATES
There may be as many as 100,000 species of
invertebrates on Madagascar, about one fifth of which are beetles. Praying
mantids are particularly good at mimicing dead leaves. There are some
scorpions, which are probably the only dangerous animals on the island.
Butterflies and Moths: Madagascar has around 4,000 species of moth and some 300
butterflies. Many of the moths are surprisingly brightly coloured and some,
such as the large, Comet moth, are commercially bred.
MADAGASCAR FACTFILE Size: Almost
two-and-a-half times the size of Britain. Population of about 13 million. Climate: Tropical, with hot, rainy summer coinciding with
British winter. The Pros and Cons: Madagascar is a country
you will either love or hate. Its “pro’s” include: the wildlife,
the scenery, the beauty of the Malagasy people, the food and the snorkelling.
The “con’s” include: the poverty, the ramshackle towns, the lack
of reliable transport. Access: Air Madagascar fly from
Paris; Aeroflot from London via Moscow. Also flights from other Indian Ocean
islands, Kenya and South Africa. Visas: All visitors
require a visa. Contact your nearest Malagasy consulate. Operators: Several companies offer trips to Madagascar. These
include: Discover Madagascar (0181-9953529), Reef & Rainforest
(01803-866965). Essential Reading: Bradt
Publications’ Guide to Madagascar and Madagascar Wildlife, A
Visitor’s Guide.
Paul and Sarah McBride lived in Africa
for eight years — four of those in Madagascar — before moving to
London in 1997. They are freelance journalists now working for a large
environmental agency.
