Brandneues

People and tribes

The cave paintings of Andriamamelo

In the west of Madagascar, far from roads and larger cities, lies the dry forest of Beanka. Although by far not as well known as the world-famous Tsingy de Bemaraha a little further south, this area also has its own Tsingys. Malagasy Tsingy, that’s karst rock shaped like meter-high needle peaks. A complicated system of caves and gorges winds through …

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The game of games: Pétanque

No matter where you travel in Madagascar: At some point, you will encounter people playing with silver balls on a piece of flat ground. The balls are usually worn, the carved lines on them barely recognizable, and the balls themselves are barely round from being used so much. The game is called pétanque and, except for its country of origin, …

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The art of speech: Kabary

Famadihana

In Madagascar time often plays no role, but talking to each other extensively does. One form of speech is particularly popular on the Red Island: the Kabary. Kabary is the word for a speech for which many people are together in the same place. At the same time, it is a very traditional form of oral history that can be …

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Tavy – Clearing an island

Brandrodung nahe Andasibe

Black smoke clouds the national route 2, the off-roader brakes and continues at snail’s pace. The driver hurries to close his window. “What’s that?”, asks a traveler in the back seats. “The forest is on fire,” mumbles the driver. “We call it tavy.” This or something similar happens every day in Madagascar. But why is the rainforest burning next to …

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Mora mora – Take it easy

Merina-Frau

Hectic, stress and urgent appointments: In Madagascar you can leave all this behind you. Time is of no use here outside the cities. “Mora mora” is often the first thing you hear as a traveller in Madagascar – often at the visa counter. It means “slow, slow” or “take it easy” and reflects briefly and concisely the attitude to life …

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Pierrot Men and his photographic studio

Pierrot Men

Pierrot Men is a household name in Madagascar: he has been the most famous photographer on the island for over 40 years. Above all, the many black and white photographs from the lives of his compatriots remain in his memory and touch people all over the world. Pierrot was born in 1954 as Chan Hong Men Pierrot in Midongy du …

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The sapphire rush

Ein Saphir?

It all began in a small hut village of the Bara in southern Madagascar: Ilakaka. The village still had less than a hundred inhabitants in the mid-1990s, and there was nothing to suggest that this would change quickly. Ilakaka lies in a flat, hot plain between Ihosy and Toliara (French Tuléar) on the river of the same name. This puts …

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Tribes of Madagascar

Antanosy

Madagascar’s population consists of 18 ethnic groups, some of which differ greatly in their appearance, their traditions and their beliefs. Although statistically 50% of Madagascans are Christians, most people still live in their old traditions with their own faith and according to the old legends. Here we would like to present the people of Madagascar, their origins and ways of …

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The last nomads

Madagascar has many different ethnic groups, and most of them still have original lifestyles, ancient traditions and centuries of deep-rooted faith. But a small group of Madagascans live even closer to nature and the lives of their ancestors: The Mikea, Madagascar’s last nomads. The small ethnic group of about 1000 people gets its name from the forest of the same …

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