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Madagascar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Demographics
Antananarivo,
Madagascar
Madagascar's population is
predominantly of mixed Austronesian and African origin, though those who are
visibly Austronesian in appearance and culture are the minority, found in the
highland regions. Recent research suggests that the island was uninhabited
until Malay seafarers arrived between about 2,000 to 1,500 years ago. Recent DNA
research shows that the Malagasy are approximately of half Malay and half East
African stock, although some Arab, Indian and European influence is present
along the coast. The Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary
with the Maanyan language from the region of the Barito River in southern Borneo.
Subsequent migrations from
both the East Indies and Africa further consolidated this original mixture, and
36 separate tribal groups emerged. Asian features are most predominant in the Merina
(3 million) ; the coastal people (called côtiers) are of more
clearly African origin. The largest coastal groups are the Betsimisaraka (1.5
million) and the Tsimihety and Sakalava (700,000 each). The Vezo live in the
southwest. Two of the southern tribes are the Antandroy and the Antanosy. In
1993 (last census) there were 18,497 foreign residents on Madagascar, or 0.15
percent of the population.
Language
The Malagasy language is of
Malayo-Polynesian origin and is generally spoken throughout the island. French
is spoken among the educated population of this former French colony. English,
although still rare, is becoming more widely spoken and in 2003 the government
began a pilot project of introducing the teaching of English into the primary
grades of 44 schools, with hopes of taking the project nationwide. Many Peace
Corps volunteers are serving to further this effort and train teachers.
In the first Constitution
of Madagascar (1960), Malagasy and French were named the "official
languages of the republic". In the current Constitution, there is no
official language recorded, instead Malagasy is named the "national
language". In a case where a citizen had claimed unconstitutional the
publication of official documents in the French language only, The High
Constitutional Court has observed in its decision[8]
that, in the absence of a language law, French still has the character of an
official language.
Religion
Approximately half of the
country's population practices traditional religions, which tend to emphasize
links between the living and the dead. The Merina in the highlands particularly
tend to hold tightly to this practice. They believe that the dead join their ancestors
in the ranks of divinity and that ancestors are intensely concerned with the
fate of their living descendants. The Merina and Betsileo reburial practice of famadihana,
or "turning over the dead" celebrate this spiritual communion. In
this ritual, relatives' remains are removed from the family tomb, rewrapped in
new silk shrouds, and returned to the tomb following festive ceremonies in
their honor where sometimes the bodies are lifted and carried high above the
celebrants heads with singing and dancing before returning them to the tomb. In
the 1800's, it is said that members of the Mkodo tribe would sacrifice young
women to man-eating trees, although some argue that these tales may be
fabrications.
About 45% of the Malagasy
are Christian, divided almost evenly between Catholics and Protestants. Many
incorporate the cult of the dead with their religious beliefs and bless their
dead at church before proceeding with the traditional burial rites. They also
may invite a pastor to attend a famadihana. The Roman Catholic church is open
to its members continuing these practices, while more conservative Protestant
denominations tend to condemn them to be superstitions or demon worship that
should be abandoned. Many of the Christian churches are influential in
politics. The best example of this is the Malagasy Council of Churches (FFKM)
comprised of the four oldest and most prominent christian denominations (Roman
Catholic, Reformed Protestant, Lutheran and Anglican).
Islam in Madagascar
constitutes about 7-10% of the population and is the oldest religion on the
island after the native religions. The Muslim traders who first brought Islam
had a lasting impact on the people. For example, many Malagasy converted to
Islam and the Malagasy language was, for the first time, transcribed into an
alphabet, based on the Arabic alphabet, called Sorabe. In the coastal regions
of the provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Muslims
constitute a significant minority. Muslims are divided between those of
Malagasy ethnicity, Indo-Pakistanis, and Comorians.
Culture
- Tranofalafa.com - All About Madagascar
- Music of Madagascar
- List of writers from Madagascar
- Salegy is a popular music form. There is a
sudden interest in American culture and European popular culture, which is
eroding the more traditional culture, and especially the music.
- The Malagasy economy took a brief downturn
during the 1980s when Coca-Cola, the world's leading purchaser of vanilla,
switched to the New Coke formula that contained synthetic vanillin. The
situation reversed itself when the company reintroduced its classic
formula.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madagascar&action=history
Demographics
Antananarivo,
Madagascar
Madagascar's population is
predominantly of mixed Austronesian and African origin, though those who are
visibly Austronesian in appearance and culture are the minority, found in the
highland regions. Recent research suggests that the island was uninhabited
until Malay seafarers arrived between about 2,000 to 1,500 years ago. Recent DNA
research shows that the Malagasy are approximately of half Malay and half East
African stock, although some Arab, Indian and European influence is present
along the coast. The Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary
with the Maanyan language from the region of the Barito River in southern Borneo.
Subsequent migrations from
both the East Indies and Africa further consolidated this original mixture, and
36 separate tribal groups emerged. Asian features are most predominant in the Merina
(3 million) ; the coastal people (called côtiers) are of more
clearly African origin. The largest coastal groups are the Betsimisaraka (1.5
million) and the Tsimihety and Sakalava (700,000 each). The Vezo live in the
southwest. Two of the southern tribes are the Antandroy and the Antanosy. In
1993 (last census) there were 18,497 foreign residents on Madagascar, or 0.15
percent of the population.
Language
The Malagasy language is of
Malayo-Polynesian origin and is generally spoken throughout the island. French
is spoken among the educated population of this former French colony. English,
although still rare, is becoming more widely spoken and in 2003 the government
began a pilot project of introducing the teaching of English into the primary
grades of 44 schools, with hopes of taking the project nationwide. Many Peace
Corps volunteers are serving to further this effort and train teachers.
In the first Constitution
of Madagascar (1960), Malagasy and French were named the "official
languages of the republic". In the current Constitution, there is no
official language recorded, instead Malagasy is named the "national
language". In a case where a citizen had claimed unconstitutional the
publication of official documents in the French language only, The High
Constitutional Court has observed in its decision[8]
that, in the absence of a language law, French still has the character of an
official language.
Religion
Approximately half of the
country's population practices traditional religions, which tend to emphasize
links between the living and the dead. The Merina in the highlands particularly
tend to hold tightly to this practice. They believe that the dead join their ancestors
in the ranks of divinity and that ancestors are intensely concerned with the
fate of their living descendants. The Merina and Betsileo reburial practice of famadihana,
or "turning over the dead" celebrate this spiritual communion. In
this ritual, relatives' remains are removed from the family tomb, rewrapped in
new silk shrouds, and returned to the tomb following festive ceremonies in
their honor where sometimes the bodies are lifted and carried high above the
celebrants heads with singing and dancing before returning them to the tomb. In
the 1800's, it is said that members of the Mkodo tribe would sacrifice young
women to man-eating trees, although some argue that these tales may be
fabrications.
About 45% of the Malagasy
are Christian, divided almost evenly between Catholics and Protestants. Many
incorporate the cult of the dead with their religious beliefs and bless their
dead at church before proceeding with the traditional burial rites. They also
may invite a pastor to attend a famadihana. The Roman Catholic church is open
to its members continuing these practices, while more conservative Protestant
denominations tend to condemn them to be superstitions or demon worship that
should be abandoned. Many of the Christian churches are influential in
politics. The best example of this is the Malagasy Council of Churches (FFKM)
comprised of the four oldest and most prominent christian denominations (Roman
Catholic, Reformed Protestant, Lutheran and Anglican).
Islam in Madagascar
constitutes about 7-10% of the population and is the oldest religion on the
island after the native religions. The Muslim traders who first brought Islam
had a lasting impact on the people. For example, many Malagasy converted to
Islam and the Malagasy language was, for the first time, transcribed into an
alphabet, based on the Arabic alphabet, called Sorabe. In the coastal regions
of the provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Muslims
constitute a significant minority. Muslims are divided between those of
Malagasy ethnicity, Indo-Pakistanis, and Comorians.
Culture
- Tranofalafa.com - All About Madagascar
- Music of Madagascar
- List of writers from Madagascar
- Salegy is a popular music form. There is a
sudden interest in American culture and European popular culture, which is
eroding the more traditional culture, and especially the music.
- The Malagasy economy took a brief downturn
during the 1980s when Coca-Cola, the world's leading purchaser of vanilla,
switched to the New Coke formula that contained synthetic vanillin. The
situation reversed itself when the company reintroduced its classic
formula.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madagascar&action=history