Madagascar, the Treasure of Africa

Madagascar, the Treasure of Africa

Five photographers and the assignment of a lifetime. A journey into the unknown, to the islands around Africa. Over the Islands of Africa. Madagascar. [French spoken audio] -How are you? -Fine, how are you? -Are you ready to fly? -I’m very ready. Come in. -Okay, one door is out. -Fantastic. You can sit here.

-We will close this door. -Yes, let me just see. You close your seatbelt. Maybe it’s okay if I keep one leg out so I can get a better angle, it’s okay? It’s very windy, we will try. -Why not? -Okay, we will try. -If it’s dangerous, we can switch. -You will understand very quickly.

-If it’s possible. -If it’s dangerous. Ami Vitale has visited over 75 countries, working as a photojournalist for international newspapers and agencies. Her photographs have been shown in museums and galleries and published by magazines such as National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, and Geo. Now, Ami is beginning a very special adventure.

In Madagascar, she’ll be working on a photo book about the islands around Africa. It’s not just beautiful pictures she’s after. Ami wants to learn something about the lives of the people, and explore what it means to be Malagasy. Ami’s work has often taken her to the world’s conflict zones and remote, inaccessible places.

Women are still a minority in this profession. As a woman traveling and taking pictures, the interesting thing is I feel safer in many ways as a woman, because in so many cultures, there’s so much respect. There are some doors that are closed to me being a woman, and I respect that,

But then there are other doors that open, that very often I have access to the most incredible things. People aren’t afraid of me, and I think that’s an important piece. Ami begins her journey in the northwest of the tropical island of Nosy Be. Once a hideout for pirates,

Today, the island’s consistently warm weather draws tourists. She’s arranged to meet the skipper of a boat that will take her to a remote group of islands at the beach in Madirokely. -Bonjour. -Hello, Ami. -Nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you. Oh, trois. Nicola Quen was born in Madagascar

And knows the northwest like the back of his hand. He speaks Malagasy fluently and is well acquainted with the mentality of the people. The white part is the sea, the grey one is the land. Nosy Be is here, we are here. We will go to this part of Madagascar.

It’s the kingdom of Muhammad. The name of the king. In Madagascar, we have many kings, but I think it’s the last king, really free, and very different and aware. In this part, we have no road, no access. Every person stays on the island near the coast.

It’s very authentic, traditional for the Sakalava tradition. One thing I want to say, what I’m doing with photography, I rather spend more time in one place than go and do everything on the surface. I find when I spend a lot of time, I start to meet people and they open up to me.

The beach in front of Nicola’s house is a meeting place for locals. They come together to play music, gossip and have spur-of-the-moment parties. A few meters away, zebus are driven into the shallow seawater to fight parasites. Zebus are the most important productive livestock in the country and a status symbol.

A man’s wealth is measured by the number of zebus he owns. A zebu bath is exactly the kind of scene Ami’s after. In a quarter of an hour, she shoots hundreds of pictures. I’m looking for a good moment. A moment where maybe the subject is not totally aware of you.

I think there’s a sequence here. You can start to see there’s a moment developing. He notices me in some of the frames. Then he has to pay attention to a zebu. It takes work. I think some people think that you just come and take a couple of pictures. I really work situations.

You can see there are a lot of mistakes, but you shouldn’t be afraid to take a lot of bad pictures, because that’s how you get one good one. That’s all you need, just one good picture. For Ami, perfect shots of interesting motifs are not enough. She’s interested in having an exchange with people.

The children have never seen pictures of themselves before. That time stands still in photographs, is new to them. You sense a spontaneity of life. People are not thinking, planning a year in advance. They’re thinking about today. That’s an amazing thing, actually, to be in a culture where everything is the moment today.

Early the next morning, Ami and Nicola set sail. With a crew of five, they’ll be on the move for a week without electricity, running water, or mobile phone reception. Nicholas Dao, a type of ship of Arabic origin, has a small draught perfect for the shallow waters off Nosy Be.

The extreme northwest of Madagascar is an out-of-the-way place. Travel is only possible by water. There are no roads into the interior. Nicola suspects that East Africa’s modern pirates sometimes hide out here. Tourists are seldom seen. For Ami, it is precisely this unknown quality that intrigues her, though it’s not without its drawbacks.

There’s no refrigerator on board, they have to get fresh food every day. -Oh, let’s go see him. -Maybe. Oh, there’s the mahu, it’s huge. Tell me, what do you want? My friend, how much is that, the one with a big stomach? -Do you want it per kilogram? -Yes, per kilogram.

We don’t have a scale but we have our eyes. That one is too big. Do you want the smaller one? I’ll give it to you for 8,000 ariary. Deal. -You’ve ripped me off, but it’s fine. -No, I didn’t do that. Okay, thanks. Thank you too. -What about this one? -No, it’s too much.

Hey, do you want to marry a foreigner? Can she? Is she your sister? He says that you can go with him, you’re happy. Nice. He says thanks to you. -Yes, thanks. -Thank you, merci. They follow the coast southward, en route to the Ilhadam.

After five hours at sea, they reached the realm of the Sakalava. The people of the Sakalava culture live isolated from the modern world and live by their own rules. Before going ashore, Nicola explains their greeting ritual to Ami. [Malagasy spoken audio] You tell me. [Malagasy spoken audio] You ask me. [Malagasy spoken audio]

Which news? No news. If I have news, no news. Oh, which movement? You tell me. [Malagasy spoken audio] No movement. Now I can explain to you that I have a big problem because my boat is on the rocks and please, for example. Before, you must say everything, it’s a ritual. [Malagasy spoken audio]

Ami has often found that doing some preparation can make the first encounter with locals much easier. Armed with her newly acquired phrases, Ami makes her first attempt at connecting with the villagers. [Malagasy spoken audio] What is there to eat?

Her first try is a bit of a flop, but it lightens things up all the same. -What did you want to ask her? -I’m going to ask her. [Malagasy spoken audio] I really don’t like coming in and taking pictures immediately. As I go into this village,

My first thing is to go and talk to people and ask permission. Is it okay that I’m here and explain what I’m doing so they understand why. I think it’s very important to have a meaning and a purpose. The Sakalava do everything by hand. Tending to the household chores defines their daily lives.

What may appear idyllic, is in fact, hard work. Ami wants more than just a romantic image. She wants her pictures to show the perspective of the people she photographs. Can I try? She can’t do it, she’s too weak. She’s like, don’t do it anymore. However, it’s really hard.

She should just start walking to the village. -Walk? -Yes, just start walking. Just don’t move and walk, she said just walk. You think that every person walks… I have a feeling, I’m going to be completely drenched by the time we get to the village. We’ll have about two drops left.

It’s raining for me everywhere. I’m just doing this for one moment. She has to do this many times every day. You realize a huge part of their lives is just gathering water. It’s going to make me think when I take showers and let that water go for a long time.

Let me try to carry this without my hands. This could be a disaster. The water moves, so the weight changes on your head. I don’t think I’m going to do it. No, not this time. The implements with which the Sakalava do their daily work have remained the same for generations.

However, even here, Western civilization has left its mark. In the form of children’s toys, or old newspapers as a kind of wallpaper. Beyond the observable world, prohibitions and taboos define life here. For strangers, they are invisible. As a Sakalava, you have to know where the sacred sites are

Or which areas of the coast it’s better to avoid. A romantic beach may suddenly turn out to be a cemetery, or a public toilet. Depending on which group one belongs to, it may be forbidden to touch a chameleon, talk about crocodiles, eat pork, or work on Thursdays.

You told me, don’t even push away the ravens. What other things should I know not to do, because there are many what do you call it, fadie? There are many fadies, taboos here. Things prescribed by tradition. Often it’s sacred trees. To contact God here, you have to have a telephone booth.

That’s the sacred trees or sometimes rocks. They are there to help one speak with God. The Malagasy say that the chameleon was sent by God to the people, to proclaim their eternal life. However, it was too slow. Man became mortal. The cute and harmless animals are held by the Malagasy

To be harbingers of misfortune. Despite the reputation, some people even keep them in their homes to catch flies. Many Sakalava women wear elaborate face paintings. A yellow paste is made from the bark of the jacaranda tree. It also functions as a natural sun protection.

They put this because it’s very good for the skin of the face. It’s more clear, and the second is only for the booty. This seems like every cosmetic. Many times you can see in the village, some like this, some like we see… -That’s just for… -Fun. It’s like a beauty parlor.

The Sakalava populate a large part of the west coast of Madagascar. They live from farming and fishing. To this day, their realm functions as a monarchy. The national government has little influence over local tribal politics. To everyone’s surprise, King Muhammad suddenly appeared in the village. He lives ten kilometers down the coast.

From time to time, he visits his subjects. An impromptu dance performance is given in his honor. As a king, he is entitled to share a bed with any of his subjects, but he does not make use of the privilege, or so they say.

In Malagasy, they say the king is perfumed with a fragrance. The person exudes something positive. To touch him is like receiving a talisman. The king does whatever he likes, and has no responsibilities. He is the only person in Sakalava society who does not grow his own rice.

His favorite hobby is photography, with a camera given to him by tourists. After the welcome dance, King Muhammad disappeared as quickly as he had come before Ami had the chance to speak with him. Now she hopes to get an audience with him in his home village.

She would like to take a portrait of him for her photo book. From the island of Nosy Barafia, they sail southwards. It’s a three-hour sail to the king’s village of Ambatofotsy. Vast stretches of the northwestern coast are very sparsely populated. To see another boat is a rarity.

Some transport wood for the construction of houses. Countless little bays provide sanctuary for native animals. Lemurs only exist in Madagascar. The island is home to over 50 different species of prosimians. Their name comes from the Latin lemures, spirits of the night, a moniker they earned with the bloodcurdling howls they make at night.

During the day, they’re mostly docile. Ami and Nicola have arranged an audience with King Muhammad. Nicola, a long-time friend of the king’s, introduces Ami according to the royal protocol. He tells the king that the stranger wants to know how a real king lives. Someone from a completely different world.

What is his daily life like, what does he do every day? She wants to know what you do every day. I listen to the radio and rest. I like to listen to the news from Antananarivo. If something is going on in the village, I don’t need the radio.

Then I observe the villagers while they work. What do you mean? Well, I form my own views about life in the village without judging it. Otherwise, I do nothing, I just stay at home. I have no duties other than taking part in festivities. King Muhammad lives from the cultivation of coffee, rice,

And above all, pepper. The work is done by his subjects. He and his wife are not allowed to work. He was elected king by the Council of Elders from a pool of five candidates. When he discovered that he was going to be king, can he remember what that day was like?

Was he excited, what was he feeling when they decided to make him king? When they elected you king, were you happy? How did you feel? He was very surprised. -He cried? -Yes. You cried? Why did you cry? Why? I was afraid, because of the great responsibility towards the people.

I didn’t know if I could live up to it. I can never show fear, no matter what happens. If I could go fishing and do things like that, I think now I would be in Matunga, or Nosy Be maybe. Not only for fishing but maybe to be a driver.

Or to have fun somewhere, sailing on a boat, being the captain. I think I would rather do that than be king. Ami was not expecting to meet a sad king who would rather live like one of his subjects. The king is a surprise for me.

It’s not at all what I imagined a great African king would be. It’s wonderful. I love the fact and so ironic that actually it’s a burden and so symbolic in many ways. The more we have, the more responsibilities, the more difficult life is. In the king’s village,

Ami has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend a very special celebration. It’s only held once every two years to contact their ancestors. The Malagasy exist through their ancestors. They are the ones who brought them into being. At the ritual celebration, some of the villagers go into a trance and make contact with the dead.

The 25 or so trombas, as they’re known, are said to be possessed by the spirits of their forebears. They are regarded as reincarnations of the dead of the royal line and function as mediums between the human and the spirit world. Through them, the dead are always present. According to the Sakalava beliefs,

When a person dies he ascends to higher spheres and becomes an intermediary between God and man. Ami has to walk a very fine line. She wants to get close to the people, but she doesn’t want to cross any unseen boundaries. There was a moment when, I think later they explained,

A spirit was departing and going back. They put a cloth around the woman and they said don’t photograph her. There are just things of respect that you do. My main thing in those situations is to try to pay attention not to break any cultural rules.

It’s so hard when you don’t actually know what’s significant to people because this tree may be holy, or that bird may be holy. You actually don’t know. My thing is, when I come into a new place to just observe as much as possible. Ami wants to see more of Madagascar

And sets off for the far north of the island. The bay of the city, Antsiranana, also known as Diego. The city is a center of a gemstone boom that has attracted fortune hunters from around the country in recent years. French colonial masters brought their architecture to the city,

But the city’s population is a diverse mix of ethnicities. Many hoped to share in the prosperity generated by the gems. Ami is considering a story about sapphires. Her first stop is an Italian jeweler in the city center. Look at this one. This is a stone that you can only find in this region.

A star sapphire. It is polished to a cabochon. You see? I’ll shine some light on it. -It’s a star. -It forms a star. You only have that in this region. When the stone is polished into this shape, it shows a star. You only have this in this region. In Rojero’s workshop,

A raw sapphire is polished into a fine jewel. Nowadays, it is possible to produce the stones artificially in chemical labs. Even experts are hard-pressed to distinguish them from the real thing. However, for the people in Diego, there is no substitute. Ami is interested in the people who work in the mines.

It’s not easy to get access. Foreigners are not welcome there. She meets John, a middleman for sapphires. Everyone here works with the sapphires. Some work in mines. Others ply the business end. Ami convinces John to take her along on his buying tour.

For a small fee, he’s even willing to take her to the miners. The mines are clay shafts, up to 20 meters deep without supports. It does look dangerous. Time and again, workers are buried in collapsing shafts. Yet the motivation of a quick payoff is powerful. The men work at their own expense,

And always dig for the minerals with the highest market value. Right now, sapphires are a hot commodity. [Malagasy spoken audio] Down at the river, workers wash out the clumps of clay. The lucky ones may find a star sapphire, but it’s a rare stone that fetches a good price.

It’s not the size, but the purity that makes the difference. For John, the middle man, today is a good day. With his torch, he winners out the most precious stones to sell them onwards. A layperson like Ami is unable to recognize the value of a raw stone. Blue malekith.

-They are expensive. -Yes, expensive. -It’s about 200. -Euros? -Yes. -For this? -Yes. -Wow. It’s amazing. I think I understand, it’s really translucent. It’s such a beautiful deep color. This dangerous job is the family’s chance to climb the social ladder. Few succeed. Ami sets off for the highlands of Madagascar,

In the middle of the island. Her pilot, Ewe, has told her about some interesting geometric shapes engraved into the hilly landscape by a reservoir. Many landscapes in Madagascar have been changed by people. Ninety percent of the original forested areas have been cleared for farming, logging, and the extraction of coal.

This has led to one of Madagascar’s greatest environmental problems, erosion. Fertile soil is picked up by the wind and blown into the sea. The animals retreat into what remains of the forests. Many species are endemic to Madagascar. They’re not found anywhere else. Except for the mosquito which transmits illnesses,

Almost all of Madagascar’s animals are harmless to humans. Almost all. Crocodiles are found in many of Madagascar’s lakes. They are sacred. In many regions, they are held to be reincarnations of ancestors, and may only be hunted if they have killed a human. The slain crocodile is then given a ceremonial funeral,

And mourned like a deceased relative. At first, I was scared, but now I’m used to it. As long as I have my staff to protect myself, there’s no problem for me. If I run across a crocodile here in the wild, what should I do?

Do I run away quickly, do I climb a tree, what’s the best thing I should do? If you encounter a crocodile, you should get away quickly. On land, crocodiles are not very fast, just run away. Not far from the crocodile pool, an acting crew prepares for a performance.

The small village of Ambohitrahaba is renowned for its traditional theater. Ami would like to capture the soul of the rural area with her camera. While the actors are getting ready, Ami explores the village. She wants to show life as it really is, but it’s not always easy.

To her American eyes, what stands out first is the poverty, the spartan living conditions. How does one take a picture that peeks beneath the veil of Western conceptions? Ami thinks a lot about what her pictures from other countries actually reveal.

It’s very easy to come in and say look at all those poor people. I think you have to scratch over the surface of it. If you go and spend a lot of time and go and live with people who are impoverished, they’re actually a lot richer in many ways

Than people with so many material things. Before the show begins, Jean Louis and Radha Firmino, the leaders of the troop, want to show her the village in a bit more detail. Do you see that tree? This tree only exists in Madagascar, a regal tree.

The actors eat its fruit before a show to strengthen their voices. Many chameleons live in the tree, at least a hundred. The kids are playing a little music there. The love of art and music is evident everywhere here. Even today, many Malagasy are illiterate and music is a treasured form of expression.

The Malagasy know how to live. What they lack in luxury, they make up for in spirit. A zest for life, is more important than wealth. All houses in Madagascar face west because we Malagasy love the evening. When the sun sets, the light is great. Everything turns pink.

We love to sit on the doorstep and tell each other stories, have a drink. We’re a bit poetic. We’re a people who cry easily. A people that remembers its dead. She speaks English. [Malagasy spoken audio] That’s great. -What’s your name? -My name is Yants.

-My name is Ami. -Nice to meet you, I’m sorry my… -No problem. -Okay. Yants wants to show Ami a special place in the village. It looks unspectacular, but it has great significance. A sacred royal tomb. The dead are a part of daily life.

The Malagasy are not afraid of death, they’re not afraid to die. Actually, the Malagasy are not afraid of anything. You in the West are afraid of death, aren’t you? For you, death is something terrible. We don’t see it that way at all. When we sleep at night, we say that we are dead.

Every time we sleep, we are dead. When we wake up, we are alive. We’re happy with that. That’s important. The performance by the Hiragasi Theater will go on all day. The actors are amateurs, simple village people. They ask Ami to accompany the performance with her camera. Everybody listen up. Sit over there instead.

You’ll be in the shade. We’ll begin a bit earlier today. Hiragasi deals with current issues. Few people have televisions. The theater delivers news and entertainment. God be with us. Ready, let’s go. The first act deals with malaria prevention. The villain in the story is Mr. Mosquito, a character best avoided.

The educational play gives practical tips about protecting against mosquitoes. Oh, people, he’ll drink all your blood and give you malaria. If you get the illness, it will knock you out. Use the insecticides you all know. Tomato leaves or eucalyptus, or squash it dead. Later on, the play takes on food prices, love, contraception,

And medical treatment. The musical tales often carry a simple, clear message. Even politically sensitive issues are fair game in Hiragasi. Humor is important to the Malagasy, they love jokes and irony. It’s so beautiful to see in a time when we’re such a globalized culture and everybody’s watching television,

To see how important theater is to the people. It’s so much alive here, and I love that it’s appreciated and valued. Ami’s tour ends in the capital, Antananarivo, or Tana for short. Its name means city of the thousand. The hilly metropolis is home to a mix of all the ethnicities

That make up Madagascar. The city is the destination of all the island stands for. Nearly two million people living in and around the city. One of the best-known personalities in Tana is the musician, Rajery. He shows Ami his city, a city whose history is rife with stories of conflict

Between the different ethnic groups. There was a king whose name was Andriampoinimerina. He had a wife on each of the 12 hills. He married one woman from each of the hills to unite the different tribes. In this way, he made peace between the rival tribes. There are many hills around Tana.

The magical number of 12 has symbolic significance. The land around the capital is the rice basket of Madagascar. Its inhabitants are a mix of people of African and Asian origin. Rajery wants to tell Ami more about the Malagasy. His tour of Tana begins at the market

With its impressive array of the country’s specialties, vanilla, pepper, exotic spices. The next stop is a cultural center, advertising a concert by Rajery’s band. He has taken his music to every continent. When he was just 11 months old, Rajery lost his right hand after eating contaminated meat, so he was told.

Despite his handicap, he is regarded as the world’s most innovative player of the valiha, his favorite instrument. I saw my brother play the instrument and I was fascinated by the shape and the sound. At the beginning, I didn’t let anyone see me because I was so ashamed.

I didn’t want anyone to see me, so I practiced in secret. I sometimes bled when I practiced. It was painful, but I was determined to play this instrument. There were all these problems, but I thought, perhaps my handicap can be an opportunity too, if I accept it. All Malagasy love this instrument.

Whenever someone talks about the valiha, they’re also talking about Madagascar. It has a soft sound, not aggressive. It flows right into your body. It made me cry, that’s so beautiful. Ami’s trip is coming to an end. Madagascar is a country that takes a long time to know,

Not only because of its size, mainly because of its uniqueness. For Ami, who has taken thousands of photographs along the way, it was certainly not her last visit. I feel hungrier than when I first arrived, because I know that I just scratched the surface

And I smelled a little bit of what life is here. I spent about four weeks here and it wasn’t enough. I think you can spend your whole lifetime here and still just scratch the surface because it’s deep, rich, and complex here.

Today we are flying to Madagascar, to discover extraordinary landscapes and a rich biodiversity through the eyes of a photographer.

Directors: Christian Schidlowski, Verena Schönauer
Original Title: Over the Islands of Africa: Madagascar