June 22, 2004
"Crossing cultures/immersions"
by Laurel Redding

This trip to Madagascar, to say the least, is quite a culture shock for me. Madagascar is only the second developing country I’ve been to but its differences are not merely economical. To some extent, I expected it to resemble a poorer version of France, ethnic, no doubt, but nevertheless with a strong French influence left over from colonial days. The only resemblances I
found, however, were the language (and even then, it’s a different type of French), a pride in one’s culture and heritage, and the indomitable (probably true) belief that foreigners are stupid and can be easily taken advantage of.

While I can’t claim to be an authority, as I’ve only been here for two days (and then only in the capital city), I know that Malagasy culture is its own. In some respects, it is greatly influenced by its economical status. Taxi rides, for instance, are quite comical, as the taxis are very old clunkers of Renaults, Peugeots and Citroens. Drivers only buy gas once they have customers, coast downhill and drive without headlights at night to save gas. Seat belts, traffic lights, signs and crosswalks are non-existant. Pedestrians cross at their own risk! In addition, you decide on your fare before you get in the car. Truly a change from climbing into a nice, leather-seated, air-conditionned Mercedes-Benz on the Champs-Elysees! Other cultural differences stem from tradition. Fady, or social taboos, are prevalent in Malagasy culture. For example, it is fady to point – instead you pucker up and indicate direction with your lips. It is fady to give your underwear to laundry women (yet, ironically enough, underwear is openly displayed in large quantities at the market). It is customary and expected to argue/debate prices at the marketplace. All of it quite a challenge for a vasa (white foreigner).

While I like to think of myself as culturally adaptable, having grown up bicultural, I have had to catch myself several times after pointing, and forced myself not to cringe at the moth-eaten dogs that line the street or the ragged, barefoot children that accost you begging for money. I certainly have a lot to learn…