1947: the Insurrection the History Books Skipped
In 1947 Madagascar rose against French rule and briefly held a third of the island. The repression that followed killed tens of thousands — a turning point toward independence.
Category: Insider Madagascar
The Menalamba Rebellion Against French Rule
When France seized the royal palace in 1895, the highlands rose in revolt — the Menalamba or ‘Red Shawls,’ Madagascar’s first great refusal of colonial rule.
How Malagasy Names Work (and Why They Are So Long)
Malagasy names are built like sentences — the Ra- honorific, noble Andriana-, humble names to fool jealous spirits, and 20-letter words packed with meaning. How to read them.
Hira Gasy: Song, Dance, and Oratory of the Highlands
Part opera, part debate, part dance-off: hira gasy is the day-long folk spectacle of the Malagasy highlands, born in the 18th century to rally the king’s rice-dyke builders.
The Zoma: Once Among the World’s Largest Markets
Every Friday, white parasols buried the heart of Antananarivo under what was called the world’s largest open-air market. The story of the Zoma — and what replaced it in 1997.
Andafiavaratra Palace and the PM Who Married Three Queens
The pink palace of Rainilaiarivony — the prime minister who ruled Madagascar by marrying three queens in turn — now guards the royal treasures rescued from the 1995 Rova fire.
Ambohimanga: Inside Madagascar’s Only Cultural UNESCO Site
The forested royal hill of Ambohimanga — spiritual capital of the Merina kings, burial ground of sovereigns and Vazimba, and Madagascar’s only cultural UNESCO site.
The Grotte d’Anjohibe: Madagascar’s Underground Cathedral
Northeast of Mahajanga, Anjohibe hides 5 km of limestone halls, 10-metre stalactites and emerald pools you can swim in — Madagascar’s great underground cathedral.