Madagascar
A little bit of history…
Madagascar has only been inhabited for the last 1500-2500 years, though architectural discoveries suggest that an ancient culture may have been present long before this. These early settlers are thought to have hailed from Indonesia but they were closely followed by settlers from both Africa and Arabia. The population was later augmented by European settlers too including a number of infamous pirates, including Thomas Tew, Henry Every, and William Kidd. In 1685 Adam Baldridge, a popular pirate trader who exchanged island goods for pirate booty, claimed the island as his own. He rose to the level of King and thus began a period where pirates would dominate Madagascar’s coastlines. The Portuguese, Dutch and British failed to gain control of the island, and by 1690 it had become a base from which a vast array of pirates would launch their attacks. By 1700 over 1,500 pirates were living at Île Sainte Marie, alone and thousands more were docked at the islands other ports.
The country continued to prosper and strong trade relations were developed with Europe. Over the next hundred years three powers began to arise; the Merina in the central plateau, the Sakalava in the west, and the Betsimisaraka in the east. By the late 18th century, the Merina clan had extended its influence and was beginning to dominate. In 1820 the British signed a treaty recognising Madagascar as an independent state under the rule of the Merina. This agreement insured the freedom of the island from European control but it also placed the British in a position of influence which endured long into the 19th century. It was displaced in 1883 when the British ceded Madagascar to France in exchange for Zanzibar.
1895 saw the French invading Madagascar, catching the Medina off-guard and seizing control. Queen Ranavalona III was exiled and the French instilled a strict and unforgiving regime which would see the Malagasy language repressed and its people exploited. Though slavery had been abolished, the French government implemented such crushing tax policies that the local people were, to all extents and purposes, working for nothing. Land belonging to the native population was soon being commandeered and handed over to foreign settlers, leaving the local people without a livelihood or a home.
World War II saw a new invasion, this time from the British who were determined to stop Japan from using the island as an Indian Ocean base. They handed it back to the French in 1943. In 1947 the Malagasy rebelled against the unfair rule of the French but were crushed with devastating losses. The next forty years were marked by civil unrest and economic struggle but they would finally see the island gaining independence.
Madagascar now embraces a new-found stability both economically and politically. The country still has a long way to go but with a reliable government in place the future is filled with possibilities.
Best time to go…
Madagascar has two seasons; hot and rainy (November-April) and cool and dry (May-October). The east coast is the wettest and is prone to cyclones during the rainy season. The central highlands are relatively dry but they are also significantly cooler. Lightning storms are common in the highlands during the rainy season and can be hazardous. The west coast is subject to the least rain on the island.
Getting around…
Madagascar’s roads aren’t in particularly good condition which can make travelling by bus or taxi a little uncomfortable. Having said that, buses and taxis are readily available and more importantly – they’re cheap! If you’re travelling longer distances you might want to consider travelling by air because this will be both more comfortable and faster. Air Mad has a network of over 60 cities and towns and is very reliable. It might be worth booking your flights with this company when you’re coming into the country because you can get up to a 30% discount on your internal flights if you do.
Useful linkswww.lonelyplanet.com
Lonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.
www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas
www.wildmadagascar.org
Heaps of information about the country and the native wildlife.
www.air-mad.com
Madagascar’s leading airline.
http://goafrica.about.com/od/madagascar/Madagascar_Travel_Guide.htm
Useful information about Madagascar and travel.
http://www.cindyvallar.com/havens3.html
Information about Madagascar’s pirates.
