The Sacrificed Generation: Youth, History, and the Colonized Mind in Madagascar

Notes on the Text

notes on the text The letters c, q, u, w, and x do not exist in Malagasy. The letter o is pronounced like a long u or double-o in English (thus “tromba” is pronounced “troomba,” “Antandroy” as Antandroo-y). The letter j is pronounced like a z or dz (as in Ambanja). The nasal n sounds (both velar and palatal) of northern Sakalava (as in tsiñy) are written as ñ, following current (and now widely standardized) preferences shared by other scholars working in northern Madagascar. (In earlier publications I have written this asn̂, as is done in Ambanja’s schools.) The sound in English which approximates this is the ng in “sing.” In Malagasy, there is no difference between singular and plural noun forms. The term ampanjaka (royal, royalty), for example, may refer to one or several individuals , so throughout the text I have sought to clarify the number. Unless otherwise stated, all foreign terms are given in the Sakalava dialect (which includes a wide range of borrowed terms, especially French). The following abbreviations are used to specify different dialects or languages: SAK: Sakalava dialect; HP: High Plateaux (generally Merina); OF: official Malagasy, the bureaucratic language of the island put into use in the 1970s; FR: French. The most important terms appear in the glossary. The national currency of Madagascar is the Malagasy franc, or franc malgache (FMG). Throughout the first half of 1987, the exchange rate was approximately FMG 750 / u.s.$1.00; in mid July 1987, the FMG was devalued to 1,300. In mid 1993, the rate was approximately 1,890; a year later, in July 1994, the FMG was again devalued, so that the exchange rate became 3,530. In mid 1995, it was around 3,400 (updated from Sharp 1993, xv). As of January 2002, u.s. $1.00 was equivalent to fmg 6,621. xv 0 300 mi. 0 500 km. N Antsiranana (Diégo-Suarez) Mahajanga (Majunga) Antananarivo (Tananarive) Fianarantsoa Toamasina (Tamatave) Toliara (Tulear) AFRICA TROPIC OF CAPRICORN Nosy Be Nosy Faly Ile Ste. Marie 44° 12° 14° 16° 18° 20° 22° 24° 46° 48° 50° Ambanja Ambilobe Analalava Antalaha Antsirabe Antsohihy Bealanana Befandriana Tolanaro (Ft. Dauphin) Farafangana Ihosy Mananjary Marovoay Morondava Port-Bergé National capital Provincial capitals Towns Map 1. Madagascar. Sources: After Sharp (1993: xx) following Bunge (1983: 51), Madagascar-FTM (1986), and Société Malgache (1973: 2). Adapted from map drawn by Christine Flaherty. N Antsiranana (Diégo-Suarez) Mahajanga (Majunga) to Antananarivo (Tananarive) Tsarata n a n a M a s s i f 0 50 mi 0 50 km S a m b i rano R. Ambanja Ambilobe Analalava Andapa Anivorano Nord Ankaraña Ankify Antalaha Antsahampano Antsohihy Bealanana Befandriana Bemaneviky Hellville Iharaña (Vohémar) Joffreville Mandritsara Maromandia Marotolana Marovato Marovoay Port Bergé Sambava Ampasindava Peninsula Nosy Mitsio Nosy Lava Nosy Faly Nosy Be L o z a R . Roads Provincial capitals Towns Map 2. Northern Madagascar. Source: After Madagascar-FTM (1986). Adapted from map drawn by Christine Flaherty. Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Cancer Equator BAY OF BENGAL ARABIAN SEA INDIAN OCEAN SO M A L I A O M A N R E D S E A AUSTRALIA IRAN PAKISTAN KENYA DJIBOUTI ETHIOPIA TANZANIA COMOROS MAURITIUS SEYCHELLES SWAZILAND LESOTHO SOUTH AFRICA YEMEN MALDIVES SRI LANKA SINGAPORE INDONESIA MALAYSIA THAILAND INDIA BANGLADESH MYANMAR ERITREA Réunion (Fr.) Mayotte (Fr.) Zanzibar M o z a m b i q u e C h a n n e l M A D A G A S C A R M O Z A M B I Q UE Gulf Of Aden G ulf Of Oman 0 0 1000 Kilometers 500 500 1000 Nautical Miles N Map 3. The Indian Ocean Basin. Source: After Bunge (1983: xii–xiii). Adapted from map drawn by Christine Flaherty. ...