World Country Guide

Social Profile

Food & Drink
In Madagascar, eating well means eating a lot. Malagasy cooking is based on a large serving of rice with a dressing of sauces, meat, vegetables and seasoning. Dishes include ro (a mixture of herbs and leaves with rice); beef and pork marinated in vinegar, water and oil, then cooked with leaves, onion, pickles and other vegetables and seasoned with pimento; ravitoto (meat and leaves cooked together); ramazava (leaves and pieces of beef and pork browned in oil); vary amid ’anana (rice, leaves or herbs, meat and sometimes shrimps), often eaten with kitoza (long slices of smoked, cured or fried meat). The people of Madagascar enjoy very hot food and often serve dishes with hot peppers. Local restaurants are often referred to as hotely.
The choice of beverages is limited. The national wine is acceptable. Malagasy drinks include litchel (an aperitif made from litchis), betsa (fermented alcohol) and toaka gasy (distilled from cane sugar and rice) and ‘Three Horses’ lager. Non-alcoholic drinks include ranon ’apango or rano vda (made from burnt rice) and local mineral waters.

Nightlife
There are a few discos, sometimes with bands and solo musicians. Casinos can be found at Antananarivo, Toamasina and on Nossi B. Most main towns have cinemas and theatres, and touring theatre groups perform local plays throughout the country. Traditional dance troupes can also be seen.

Shopping
Handicrafts include lamba (traditional squares of cloth in various designs and woven materials); zafimaniny marquetry, which is applied to furniture, chessboards and boxes; silverwork such as mahafaly crosses and vangavanga bracelets; jewellery made from shells and precious stones; items woven from reeds, raffia and straw; antemore paper decorated with dried flowers; and embroidery. All products incorporating Malagasy flora or fauna (including dried flowers) often require export permits (see Duty Free section). Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1400-1800.

Special Events
There are many customary events and celebrations (see Social Conventions below), especially in rural areas. Mphira gasy (Malagasy singers) sing and dance theatrically in groups recounting a story and presenting its moral; typically a performance lasts from 30 minutes to an hour. The following is a selection of special events occurring in Madagascar in 2005:
Mar Alahamady Be (New Year celebrations). Mar-Apr Internet Festival. May Rice Harvest, throughout the country. May-Jun Donia (traditional music festival), Nosy Be. Jun Fisemana (ritual purification ceremony of the Antakarana people). Jun-Sep Famadihana (turning of the bones festival). Oct-Nov Madajazzcar (jazz festival).

Social Conventions
The Madagascans are extremely hospitable and welcoming, although their relaxed attitude to time (public forms of transport, for example, will not generally move until they are full – no matter how long it takes to fill the last seat) may be frustrating. Dress is casual, except for the very smartest hotel and restaurant functions. Visitors are advised not to wear any military-style clothing; locally it is disapproved of and could lead to detention. Entertaining is done in restaurants and bars, and a good degree of acquaintance is necessary before being invited to a family home. Gifts should be offered if staying at a local village, particularly to the village headman, although monetary contributions will be seen as an insult. Respect should be paid to the many local taboos (fady) – but as these vary from region to region this is not always easy; however, it is clear that advice should be sought before approaching tombs and graves. It remains the practice in some regions (though it is increasingly rare due to the enormous cost) to invite an ancestor to a village celebration, disinterring the body so that the ancestor may attend physically, and later re-interring the body with new shrouds; this traditional observance (known as famadihana) demonstrates the continuing hold of traditional beliefs. Visitors invited to such an occasion should consider it a great honour. Photography: Do not photograph military or police establishments. Tipping: Not customary, although waiters expect 10 per cent of the bill. In European-style hotels and restaurants, the French system of tipping is followed. One should also tip in Chinese and Vietnamese establishments.