Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Arts
Literature
The earliest Malagasy literature dates from historical records produced in the mid-19th cen-
tury. Modern poetry and literature began to flourish in the 1930s and 1940s. The best-known
figure was the poet Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo, who committed suicide in 1947 at the age of
36 - reputedly after the colonial administration decided to send a group of basket-weavers
to France to represent the colony instead of him.
Modern-day literary figures include Michèle Rakotoson, Johary Ravaloson, David Jao-
manoro and Jean-Luc Raharimanana. Nearly all of their works are published in French or
Malagasy.
Oral Traditions
Two excellent collections of Malagasy writing are Voices from Madagas-
car: An Anthology of Contemporary Francophone Literature , edited by
Jacques Bourgeacq and Liliane Ramarosoa, which contains Malagasy
writing in French and English, and Hainteny: The Traditional Poetry of
Madagascar , by Leonard Fox, with translations of beautiful Merina
poems charting love, revenge and sexuality.
Hira gasy are popular music, dancing and storytelling spectacles held in the central high-
lands of Madagascar. Brightly clad troupes of 25 performers compete for prizes for the best
costumes or the most exciting spectacle. An important part of hira gasy is kabary, in which
a performer delivers an oratory using allegory, double entendre, metaphor and simile. Hira
gasy has long been used to deliver important information or raise awareness of certain top-
ics (health, politics, environmental issues, respecting family values etc). Unfortunately, un-
less you are fluent in Malagasy, you're unlikely to agree with the proverb that says: 'While
listening to a kabary well spoken, one fails to notice the fleas that bite one'. All the same, it
is a cultural event well worth seeing.
More accessible are the songs and dances after the kabary . Dancers are dressed in bright
gowns called malabary , and women also wear the traditional lamba (scarf). The competition
winner is decided by audience members, who throw small denominations at their favourite
troupe.
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