Madagascar, with the relaxation of the Covid-19 front, hiragasy comes back to life
Audio 01:26
Madagascar, February 21, 2021: the people of Antananarivo came in large numbers to attend the “hiragasy” competitions, an ancestral art which combines songs, dances, music, acrobatics and speeches.
© Laetitia Bezain / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
In Madagascar, after months of suspension - consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic - outdoor “hiragasy” competitions are resuming.
Ancestral art of the Hauts-Plateaux, the "hiragasy", a kind of popular theater combines songs, dances, music, acrobatics and long speeches.
Yesterday Sunday, hundreds of Antananarivo moved to the center of the capital to attend the competition between two groups of artists among the most renowned in the country.
Publicity
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with our correspondent in Antananarivo,
Laetitia Bezain
Dressed in pink or multicolored dresses and traditional red jackets, some thirty artists call out to the spectators who surround them to the sound of drums, violins and trumpets.
Corruption, cattle theft, lack of communication in couples, with their incisive speech tinged with popular wisdom and humor, they criticize society.
“The role of hiragasy is to educate, a bit like pastors or priests,
” explains Jean-Félix Ranaivoarison, singer and songwriter with the Ramilison Besigara troupe formed 35 years ago.
They teach spirituality, but we teach ways of living well together.
We give advice.
We encourage people to respect their elders, their spouses.
It is an art that comes from the countryside and the farmers and we are constantly renewing ourselves to attract the public.
"
“Hiragasy singers are not like other artists. We respect the customs of the elders. We don't put on shoes and we wear traditional costumes ”,
continues his brother Joachim Rafalisoa.
This popular oratory art touches all Malagasy, explains Jenny, 15, a follower of
hiragasy
.
“Here there are all generations and all backgrounds.
What touched me was when they talked about all the burdens placed on mothers.
Through their words, we can learn a lot of lessons that are useful to us in our daily life and for later.
"
Throughout the musical performances, scenic movements and witticisms, the spectators throw tickets to the artists.
But it is their applause that separates the two troops.
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To read also
: Hiragasy competition in Rova, a first for more than 120 years
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