I did and saw many things in my 2 weeks in Madagascar… but one aspect remains very strongly in my thoughts and emotions related to Malagasy people. I knew we would visit local communities, but it impacted me more than I could have imagined.

Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our hearts.

While staying in Fianarantsoa we hiked through beautiful rice fields in the outskirts of the city, we were explained step by step the rice cultivation process, as well as other fruits and vegetables they grow there.

Visually speaking the place was stunning, all along the path the views were jaw dropping, which is typically “my thing” –> trying to capture beautiful landscapes.

This hike had an extra excitement.. the local children expect every now and then some tourists but they seemed genuinely happy to see us. Some of them were walking with us all the way and seemed very curious to interact with us.

This is not a “touristy village” where things feel a little bit “sketched” for the visitors. Of course there might be some expectations, like giving them candy and some travelers do, but I do believe their reactions were all genuine, I swear all those smiles and laughter cannot be faked.

The unexpected power of one photo..

Before I took pictures of them and with them, I did ask our guide if this was ok, understanding these are important memories for a lifetime and nothing else. This was ok, and we were told sometimes they are just super happy if, in exchange, we show them our pictures, as simple as that.

I didn´t believe it at first.. but after I showed them a photo and they started laughing and screaming back at me almost like children at Christmas, I cannot explain what I felt but it was a very heartwarming moment that makes me smile again just writing about it, or when I tell this to anyone… Like being happy, surprised, moved, grateful and melancholic at the same time.

You put everything you are or you have into perspective in just a few seconds, it´s a lot to process for an emotional and shy person like me!

These kids… some of them are not even wearing shoes, showing the most authentic happiness about something we give for granted and for them it´s a big deal. I did this knowing my Samsung phone screen is big enough and the resolution is amazing, hence even the process of a selfie was wow for them. In some cases I think the surprise in their eyes was captured.

Betsileo tribe

Ok, I started with the emotional part which is ultimately what captivated me the most, but who are these kids and who are these people? Approximately 1.5 million people consider themselves Betsileo.

The Betsileo are a central highland ethnic group of Madagascar – one of 18 different tribes in the whole country-

The Betsileo were initially divided into a great many independent clans. They were conquered by the Merina  kingdom in the early 19th century, after which they came under French colonial administration.

The tribe is known for their agricultural background. Their economy is based on rice cultivation, and the size of the fields corresponds to the family´s wealth. Owning zebus (Malagasy cow) is also important but it is less compared to other regions of the country.

Rice fields

The Betsileo region of Fianarantosa is characterized by hills and valleys with rice fields carved into the sides of them in elaborate terracing systems, similar to those in Southeast Asia.

The hike alone to this human-made landscape was definitely worth it!

Few seconds of one of the most stunning views, the hike lasted about 2 hours, this is just a little taste of it.

Lunch time at a local home

We finally reached a house where we had local lunch: lots of rice, an interesting rice drink, beans, veggies and some pork.

Were were “special guests” and got to sit almost on the floor level in those puffs typically reserved for the elderly (which made it a fun joke for the group!)

The actual village and hosting-house is changed so that, any benefits this brings to the community are distributed to different families and even villages. I thought this was very fair from Intrepid company.

Couple of more photos capturing these lovely kids we got to meet along the way.

Fianarantsoa city

What you have seen before is a village far from the city, it was my highlight given all the emotions, but we also visited the city.

It is on a hill and has 3-levels in an attempt from its conquerors to emulate the capital city Antananarivo.

It was for a long time the city of instruction and education (hence its name “the city where the good is learned”.

Many intellectuals live there, there are many schools, bookstores and many religious buildings. Compared to the southern areas we came from, this felt more “wealthy” in different ways. People here have more education possibilities and opportunities to improve their lives.

Bonus: Hope for the future NGO

Back in Fianarantsoa city but still related to this cultural experience, during our dinner, the NGO Hope for the Future explained to us how they help children, teach them to sing, dance, learn languages and other disciplines, and then performed for us.

By this time I had seen already the conditions many Malagasy children live in both in the villages and during the roadtrips, that listening to Aleluya broke me. I tried to contain my tears while recording the video, but I know at least one of of my travel mates noticed because he told me later 😉

Children´s choir memories

It reminds us how stupid our concerns and complains might be, and as a good sentimental person, music and the arts impact me deeply. I enjoyed every minute of it! For my memories the youtube videos below!

It was cute, sometimes even funny to watch as some of these kids were either tired or just playing with each other… kids at the end of the day! And listening to them sing partially in English was really nice!

Some dancing moves ad music from the region

This was a very intense day for the eye but also for the heart and the nice memories with my travel group.

To close on the reflection, I cannot recommend enough to visit remote places but also visit local communities to have a rich cultural experience. Madagascar has plenty of opportunities to do ethical tourism choosing the right company to travel with.

Cheers! Nat