Madagascar Independence Day

Today is Madagascar’s Independence Day. Madagascar gained its full independence on this day in 1960 after 80 years of French occupation. Because of its strategic position, the island changed hands during World War II between the French, German and British armies. Left in French hands after the war, Madagascar was given autonomous state status in 1958. A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a constitution in 1959 and full independence on June 26, 1960. The Malagasy people celebrate with good food, drinking, and dancing. One of the spectacles of the day is a presentation of ‘Hira Gasy’ which is a musical presentation of Malagasy folklore; in this, singers wearing their best traditional attire combine song and dance with traditional folk tales from Madagascar. This is combined with a speaker who presents each musical number with a piece of poetry or an excerpt from a favorite folk tale.

Trouble in Lemur Land

An outstanding documentary following the plight of the Silky Sifaka and the lives of the encroaching rosewood loggers in Marojejy National Park, North East Madagascar.

Trouble in Lemur Land from Erik R Patel on Vimeo.

Madagascascar Latest Development Data

Since the political crisis in 2009, Aid to madagascar has been stopped by the UN and most other developed nations. A recent household survey by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) found that aid sanctions are biting the wrong people: 

• school enrolment has plummeted 
• health indicators are in decline
• 60% of rural people don't have use of a toilet
• 45% of the population does not have ready access to drinking water
• Only 12% of the population light their homes with lightbulbs
• The inhabitants of a quarter of households don't go to sleep in a bed.

Read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/jun/07/aid-withdrawal-madagascar-zimbabwe

 

Malagasy Vanilla and Soap For Sale

I am selling Malagasy vanilla pods at £1 each and Bio-Aroma luxury soaps (Ylang Ylang, Vanilla, Coconut etc...) at £2.50-£3.50 to raise money for the school building project. Please email me at pch@cooperscoborn.co.uk

Madagascar Independence Day Event (Not Fundraising)

The Anglo-Malagasy society are putting on an evening of Malagasy food and music to celebrate Independance day. If anyone is interested in attending please email me at pch@cooperscoborn.co.uk. Tickets for students (17-18) are £15 and for those of you still 15 or 16, only £5. They are looking for people to volunteer to help out too. This is not a fundraising event but will give us good ideas to host our own this time next year! Click on the poster to see a larger version. 

WWF report on Madagascar Biodiversity

More than 600 species of plants and animals have been described in Madagascar over the past decade, reiterating the position of Indian Ocean island as one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots, says a new report issued today by WWF.

Compiling data from scientific papers published between 1999 and 2010, WWF's Treasure Island report says Madagascar's bounty of previously undescribed species amounts to 385 plants, 42 invertebrates, 17 fish, 69 amphibians, 61 reptiles and 41 mammals. The discoveries occurred across Madagascar's varied ecosystems, including its rainforests, coral reefs, deciduous forests, montane forest, and unique spiny desert.

Download the report here http://assets.panda.org/downloads/madagascarspeciesreporten.pdf