PRIME MAG - AIR MAD - APRIL 2019 - SINGLE PAGES - LO-RES

CULTURE
Music
Malagasy
Operetta
If you are lucky enough to find yourself strolling
through the Malagasy capital in the afternoon,
take a walk through the gardens of Ambohijatovo
or Andohalo. Your curiosity will most certainly be
aroused by the sounds of drums, high-pitched women's
voices, laughter and applause. It is a performance of
hiragasy.
The success of the Malagasy operetta goes back to the
18th century. During this period, Hagamainty, adviser
to the King Andrianampoinimerina, was given the task
of entertaining his master. He summoned the singers
of hiragasy (literally meaning ‘songs for nobility’) to
entertain the King. Consisting of music, singing and
dancing, this typical popular Malagasy performance
was also a way of gathering together the subjects of
the kingdom to listen to a royal speech. During this
period, singers were also dressed in red, the colour
venerated by the king. Today, the women singers wear
flamboyantly coloured dresses and men wear a long
red shirt. More than just a performance, currently, the
hiragasy is a cultural heritage, Malagasy culture being
honoured through dances and lyrics.
Before the opening of the performance, a speaker
always gives a welcoming speech. This is followed by
a song, the lyrics of which are accompanied by drum
beats, the flute and also violins, as well as dances. Each
show, lasting one and a half to two hours, has a moral.
It is a true immersion in popular Malagasy wisdom.
Plus qu’un spectacle, le hiragasy
est aujourd'hui un patrimoine
culturel, où la culture malgache
est mise à l'honneur à travers
des danses et des textes.
More than just a performance,
currently, the hiragasy is a
cultural heritage, Malagasy
culture being honoured through
dances and lyrics.
All photos © : Tanjona ANDRIAMAHALY
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