11/17/06

Madagascarianskopia :)

(great grandpa Raintovo)
There is a wave of posts storming the web about the meaning of being a stranger away from home from a "Madagascarian" perspective. (It really should read "Malagasy" perspective but some people over here keep referring to me as Madagascarian so... :)) You will find links to all of them at the bottom of this post.
I got confused, as usual, and I posted my "2 cents" at the wrong place. Oh well.... :)
Here is my way of saying sorry and since it is still within the deadline...(right Tattum ?) :)
As luck would have it, I received some pictures by email from my dad yesterday and let me tell you, it cut real deep.

You see, I have not had the chance to meet any of these folks in the picture. They are my dad's parents and it is the first time I can put a face ( or 2 in this case) on my grandpa and grandma from my dad's side.
Grandpa was, from what I heard, a fervent patriot and wrote a song that was in the short list for national anthems. ( No, he was not a songwriter, he was a pediatrician. Probably the reason why the song was not picked:) )
Grandma gave birth to my dad while the fights of 1947 for independence were raging just outside their windows.
So although my grandparents' lives were quite intricate with the fate of Madagascar, I am now thousands of miles away from home and having problems writing a full sentence in Malagasy. :(
I am not proud of it but I am working on it and I am certainly at peace with it. Why at peace ?

Because of this picture.

You see, I can get as far away as I can from home, trying to make a living or searching for happiness or whatever it is that makes us run, I will always be only one email away from being reminded who I am and where I came from. Without these folks with the big smiles, I will literally be insignificant :) (for I would not exist).

That is what makes me part of the "Diaspora".
So if I ever start "bling-blinging" out of control like P. Diddy or "yodeling" country songs non-stop, I can go back to my flickr album and hear my grandpa tell me:
"Son, what in the world do you think you are doing ?" :)

Posts on the subject: (in case you are wondering, I just hacked Tattum and Hjk for this list...:) )
"
Malagasyscopie par Aiky
Malgachoscopie par Elodieriana

Malagasy kôpy par Harinjaka
Malagasy Kopia par Jentilisa
Malgachoscopie par Lilia
Malgachoscopie - Exil par Lova
Malagasyscopia par Malagasy any California
Malgachoscopie par Many
Malgachoscopie par Mia
Malgachoscopie par Nivo
Malgachoscopie - Fantatro izay fihaviako par Tomavana
Malgachoscopie par Vola
Malgachoscopie by Jogany "
More to come.....

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29 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:04 PM

    Un sociologue disait :" Le malgache a son avenir derrière lui" pour faire allusion au fait qu'un malgache se doit d'être un bon ancêtre (razana) et pour ce faire avoir des descendants...
    Ils doivent être tranquilles les tiens hhhh

    Where is the latest list to hack pls ? hhh

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  2. Mr. Lova lova ...your are fantastic :)

    Que d'émotion aujourd'hui ... non seulement tu as déjà écris une belle note sur "malagasy miray" mais tu rajoutes une deuxième. Belle fotos. merci encore et encore ;)

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  3. >Marc,
    Certainement un peu inquiet les Razanas par moment :) On attend Jo pour faire une liste finale :)
    > Hjk,
    Je vois que tu es un "Shabbaranks/Shaggy" fan ! :) Il est 4h du mat chez toi...tu reviens d'une teuf ? ;)

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  4. hey il est 6h 30 et je n'ai pas encore dormi ... mamon'ny blog ... too much drunk ;)

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  5. Anonymous7:28 AM

    The same here: 4:16AM PST and still on blog. Gosh this is addictive!!!!!!
    Malagasy aty California.
    Cool pictures of Malagasies...I hate the word "Madagascarian", it sounds weirdoo. Tell them they are amerikeean and see if they enjoy it? [since I am both, I can tell you BOTH are weird!].
    Malagasy aty California

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  6. Whaouh ! Merci pour ce post : elles sont trop belles les photos !
    Ta grand mère s'est mariée bien jeune dis donc :)

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  7. >HJK,
    "punch-drunk blog". That's your new your new nickname :)
    >Malagasy aty California,
    It gets really addictive and there is no known cure for it :)
    > Vola,
    Ma grand-mere etait bien jeune effectivement. Du coup, grande famille (11 freres et soeurs)
    Mon oncle Gozy est celui qui a retrouve ces photos. Merci a lui.

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  8. OT: crap ! Coup in Madagascar....waiting for more news...

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  9. Hey Lova,

    Gosh these guyz are fast ! I spent all the night running from blog to blog to make some sense to all this : I'm THE spammer! but then some folks keep outrunning me (Yes Vola y Hjk, I'm refering to YOU both!!). Heard about the putch but heard about the big joke that it was so ... don't care much (yes I know I'm so distant these days!).
    We have the same vision and I'm so happy about it. About giving back I was also refering to all this pedigree we accumulated intentionnaly (yes right like I meant to be born as a little inconscious tanananéene...héhé). It's sooooooooo hard to maintain the level and I want to congratulate you for your excellence ! Your a true inspiration for all of us because you never forget to remind us where we are coming from and not only on where we are heading. It's not much due to the culture of ancestors we cherish so much back there but I think it's something bigger and more motivating.
    As I'm spending my dayz (lonnnnng dayz) working in a cozy firm with 5 different nationalities, I just can't help telling myself how PROUD I am from being so well raised and trying to be the "best" representation of my homeland but foremost a good daughter who's trying to do her best with her family's expectations ( I mean I share the stress with some cousins too but ...you'll get my point you're smart!)

    Thanx again Lova !

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  10. Hello Jo,

    wow, OK now I am blushing :).... well, thank you much. I agree, it all start with making sure we do our best at what we do. The rest will take care of itself :)
    I have to blog about the Cruises, Brit and K-Fed(ex) and Jolie soon :)

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  11. Never forget about BP & AJ wherever you are...hé hé hé...I'm so so so Happy for Brit (gettin rid of the FedEx was one 2006 highlights) and of course TomKat's weird wedding at my fav' place in the world : Lago Como !! snif missed this place...
    ok welll
    I'm wating for george's (clooney) invit'...

    bizzz

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  12. Anonymous6:19 AM

    Great second post Lova! Sorry, my aggregator's got wrong, I'm a bit late.
    Pareil, j'ai horreur du mot madagascarian. Horrible, et on a l'impression d'être la première espèce et en plus, plus si endémique que ça! :)
    Interprétation originale en tout cas, toujours aussi intéressant. ;)je le rajoute.

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  13. Anonymous11:14 AM

    saltumon Lova,

    super genial d'avoir mis le plus beau dans l'arbre genealogique mais j'aurai aime aussi que la photo "dandiesque" de Alphonse de Ligouri soit deplyoe!! c'est le grand Meaulnes en vrai!!! Pirou est tres jalouxquand je dis ca..
    Pour revenir au madagascarian ,je suis d'accord avec Malgasy aty californie..ca fait endemique et stigma..J'ai recu une bande de hiut malgaches venuspour l'Afircan developemnt Forum " speak Africa" and youth and leadership..Dejeuner tres sympa et cool:debat autour du manque de dialogue intergenerationnel et de la misere des jeuns fillesmalgches sortant pour une poignee de riz ou un jean avec un vvv (vazaha vicieux vetaveta..sic!)comme ils les appellent et de se plaindre (les garcons) de leur situation face a cette desolante situation.. noussommes tous entrain de rever d'un avenir plus radieux pour notre pays et je crois que notre rally est dansle bon chemin. Mirou

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  14. >Tattum,
    Oy, Je crois que le spectre de la skopy a ete entierement couvert :) Je me repete aussi: idee du tonnerre Tattum.
    > Mirou,
    "African development Forum speaks Africa" Il va falloir nous en dire plus :)

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  15. Tena entinao ao anatinao mihintsy ny fototrao e [roots] ! Mazava ho azy fa fototra tokana sy sarobidy ary ianao ihany no mahalala izay iorenany [Alakamisin'Itenina, Fianarantsoa ?]

    Misaotra amin'ireo sary sy ireo lahantsoratra roa nataonao.

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  16. Arahaba tomavanana,
    Ieny, Tena Alakamisin' Itenina ny toerana nahalehibazan'i raiko. Ianao no isoarana amin' teny mafinaritra tokoa.

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  17. Anonymous7:54 AM

    Bon, y en a un qui a trouvé le moyen de poster 2 papiers sur ce sujet... si c'est pas un problème d'égo, c'est quoi ? :PP
    LOL
    Ceci dit (faut bien faire un peu de diversion, ce sujet devient très sérieux) j'ai trouvé ces photos d'une autre époque très touchantes et ton texte plein de réflexion.
    J'aime la déduction comme quoi tu ferais encore partie de la diaspora selon les dires des uns et des autres :)

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  19. Hello Lilia,
    As you know too well, my over-inflated ego is the size of Texas ;). "Me, myself and Irene" is my motto :p. The time when I will refer to myself at the 3rd person is probably not too far away :). However, I do blame you a bit for writing 2 posts on the subject of the "scopie" :). See, because you complained that I wrote my post at the wrong place :), it was convenient excuse for me to ramble on and on, one more time. :)
    Cheers,

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  20. Anonymous4:06 PM

    han, here we come... starting to state this is not his fault, but hers...
    Thought you charged guilty ?!

    Anywayz... appreciated both :)

    Is there more to come Lord ?

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  21. ALors cousin ;-), t'as demandé à tes vieux ?

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  22. Vola, :=)
    nous ne sommes pas cousins du cote de mon pere mais j'attends confirmation du cote de ma mere :).

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  24. Vola,
    C'est negatif aussi du cote de ma mere aussi. Mais nous sommes tous cousins parentes par la blogosphere aux bras multiples (Krishna ?) :). Bonne fin de semaine a toi, et happy thanksgiving (even though it really should not be celebrated )

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  25. Arf,
    Je me console en me disant qu'on peut se marier et avoir des enfants ensemble du coup :)
    (comment ça t'es déjà pris ????)

    :)
    Anyway, je dirai à ma mère qu'elle s'est ENCORE trompée. Ca lui fera les pieds :) (rhoo chuis vilaine avec ma maman, mais cela ne fait que la 3eme fois :))

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  26. Yay,
    On sera deja d'accord pour les lettres dans les prenoms ;) les enfants= 3, 2 garcons, une fille :)

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  27. Lova,
    mon arrière-arrière grand père s'appelle Raintovo et j'ai une peinture qui ressemble à la photo que tu as mise lol.
    Est-ce qu'il est le beau-père d'Emile Ralambo ?
    Si oui, faudra qu'on adopte nos enfants, désolée ;)

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  28. arrrghn correction, il s'appelait rainitovo mon aïeul. Bon, c'était bien tenté de ma part, une prochaine fois peut-être ;)

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  29. Serieux ? :) D'apres ma famille, je me suis trompe dans l'orthographe du nom de mon aieul :(. Je verifie pour Ralambo mais on va garder l'option adoption ouverte, juste au cas ou :)

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