MADAGASCAR

 

READ

When I first started this project, no novels had been translated into English by authors from Madagascar. Fortunately, by the time I reached Madagascar on my list, translator Allison M. Charette had remedied that situation. The book I read for this post is her translation of Beyond the Rice Fields, by Naivo.

The story takes place in the early to mid-1800s, during the last years of the reign of King Radama I and the first twenty-one years of the reign of Queen Ranavalona I. Tsito is nine years old when his village is destroyed by soldiers and he is sold into slavery. He is purchased by Rado, a trader who gives Tsito to his seven-year-old daughter Fara out of guilt because he has essentially abandoned her and her mother Bao, visiting them only occasionally. Tsito’s life with Fara, Bao, and Bao’s mother Bebe isn’t bad. He works alongside the women in the family, and he plays with Fara and attends school with her. He develops deep feelings for Fara, but knows a relationship is out of the question, since he is a slave.

From time to time, Rado takes Tsito on the road with him. On one of these trips, Tsito meets Ibandro, a strong and powerful slave belonging to the lord of the province. Ibandro takes Tsito under his wing, arranging for him to learn trades and crafts that he hopes will eventually win him his freedom. Eventually, Tsito leaves Fara’s family and goes to work for Ibandro’s master, Andriantsitoha.

This is not just a personal story about Tsito and Fara, however. The history of Madagascar during that era is chronicled in all its tragic detail. Seers, sorcery, and superstition are commonplace, and the people of the kingdom (referred to in the book as the People Under the Sky), are never safe from accusations that could lead to their deaths. When someone is accused of sorcery or any number of other things, they must face an ordeal called tangena, which involves poison. If the person survives, they are generally considered to be innocent of whatever charges had been brought against them. Tens of thousands of people lose their lives in this manner under the reign of Queen Ranavalona I.

Missionaries are active in Madagascar in the early part of this book, and Fara and Tsito learn to read and write at a missionary school. However, after Queen Ravanalona I takes the throne, she basically outlaws Christianity, and anyone who had converted to that religion faces a perilous existence.

Beyond the Rice Fields is told from both Tsito’s and Fara’s perspectives, tracing the arc as his fortunes rise and hers begin to fall. They are both sympathetic characters trying to do their best in life at a time when allegiances shift frequently, and when those in the Queen’s good graces one day may be at risk the next. This book is an unforgettable saga of a horrifying time in Madagascar’s history.

COOK

As is apparent from the title, rice is the main staple of the characters' diet in Beyond the Rice Fields. Other than that, however, the book didn’t supply much in the way of culinary inspiration. So I searched the Internet and found a recipe on the Yummly.com website for a dish called Madagascar Tofu. Essentially, this dish consists of cubed tofu coated with spices and cooked in a light sauce of onion, tomato, and coconut milk. It wasn’t bad, but considering how many spices were involved, I was surprised at how bland it was. Adding a little Tapatío sauce helped immensely!

GIVE

Climate change has been much on my mind lately, to the extent that I’ve even joined an online climate solutions book club. Knowing that Madagascar is suffering from dire climate-caused problems, I decided that my donation would go to climate change-related projects in that country. The GlobalGiving website listed several, and I chose three to support: a reforestation project, a relief fund for a climate-caused famine, and protection for threatened lemur habitat. Information about these projects can be found at the following links:

Planting 15000 trees in Madagascar - GlobalGiving 

Madagascar Famine Relief Fund - GlobalGiving

Protecting Threatened Lemur Habitat in Madagascar - GlobalGiving

 

NEXT STOP: MALAWI