Madagascar Part 6 - The Road South

Madagascar Afremail Part 6 - The Road South
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It is interesting to me, having grown up in the North (USA) and having since moved to the South and West (Texas of course), that as you go southward and westward in Madagascar the atmosphere becomes uncannily more Southern and Western-like. It becomes hotter and dustier and the vegetation becomes sparser and scrubbier. The people change from city dwellers and merchants to cowboys and farmers; economically it becomes poorer. You see more cattle, you see cattle drives and you see men totting shotguns and riffles. The food becomes more basic and fried. The pavement tends to disappear into dirt roads. The effects of racism are even more pronounced in the south of Madagascar where the darker Malagasy tend to live. It just so happens that the ruling class/tribes, Merina, occupy the center of the country and the most impoverished and not coincidentally most "African looking" class/tribes live in the southern portion of the island. The ruling classes also happen to be of the lightest skin color, while the southern tribes are the darkest. More on racism in Madagascar...

1. This is the town of Ambalavao, it was my favorite town in Madagascar.

2. I will just mention the things in common I noticed with this South compared to the South/West in the USA. For example, I think the North tends to be more drab and the South more colorful.

3. This was a mechanic shop. Basically, if your car was in the process of breaking down and the parts shown happened to fit your vehicle, you had better drive past this shop everyday on your way to work and back.

Cattle Market of Ambalavao

4. At the south end of town was the hill that served as the largest zebu (cattle) market in Madagascar. This wasn't a large town, but I guess it was at the cross roads of the nation (South/West & North). At the bottom of the hill was this little "Zebu Museum" that we did not check out. We just walked past and up the hill to greet the cattle.

5. Malagasy cattle are humped. Originating from the subspecies indicus that were brought over from India, probably. In the states will almost never see the humped cattle. I have seen it on one ranch out here in Texas. As the saying goes, "everything is bigger in Texas." Well, in the case of zebu it's true as the one I saw one day driving out in the country was about twice the size of any I saw in Madagascar.

8. This is a herd boy. He and his father, family and family friends may have walked as long as 2 weeks to reach this market, with their cattle. Zebu thieves (i.e. cattle rustlers) are common in the south and you will often see those on the cattle drive carry guns. Among a particular tribe, to steal a zebu is considered almost mandatory in order to prove your courage and secure a wife. The fact that the government has condemned cattle rustlers and employs many police and soldiers to apprehend them has only made the ritual more dangerous and appealing. The penalty for cattle rustling is shoot to kill.

9. While riding public transportation throughout the country, our vehicle was often stopped for clearance. We finally asked what all the fuss was about after about the tenth time in one day (6 hour ride) and we were told the police/soldiers were looking for "the thief of the zebu." They would even look under the tarps on top of our vans for cattle tied down to the top!?!?

10. Cowboys

11. Cowgals

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13. This cowgal is taking advantage of the heat and selling cool drinks. She's pregnant. I wonder if she had to walk far to get the market, if she came with a cattle drive?

Cattle Market of Ambalavao

14. Back in town. We met up with our French traveling companions Isabelle, Florence and Eugenia. I just snapped this photo as this beautifully striking woman walked past while we were having a cold drink at a cafe.

15. On top of the world, courtesy of the Peace Core.

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17. Well, here is a typical scene of some modern cowgals. This could have been Texas from the look of these girls, their dress and mannerisms.

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21. This is how you knew from a distance that you were approaching a police checkpoint.

22. And here we have the preventative device that stops you from zooming right past the cops in Madagascar. However, if you will notice, there is a large stone in front of the spikes. This is to indicated that you may pass at will and the policeman or woman on duty is taking a nap. The police were courteous, helpful and seemingly not corrupt. It was one of the more pleasant aspects of Madagascar compared to other countries in Africa I have traveled.