PHOTOS: Once Upon a Time in Madagascar

Africa's history is rich but often poorly documented. To fill these gaps in Madagascar, the civil society has started a project digitally archiving its historical events.

With the same desire to honor and archive Madagascar's history, two Facebook pages are archiving vintage pictures of the cities and the Malagasy people: Madagascar Hier (Yesterday's Madagascar) and Il était une fois Madagascar (Once upon a time in Madagascar) [both links fr].

Here is a round-up of some of the pictures posted on these pages that not only depict a not so distant past, but also fuel nostalgia for a simpler time, when poverty and the hardships of daily life seemed less obvious. To view more pictures, visit the archives’ Facebook pages.

Archival photos of Antananarivo, the capital

The Garden of Andohalo

Jardin Andohalo — at Antananarivo sur Madagascar Hier

Garden of Andohalo [fr] in Antananarivo via Madagascar Hier

The University of Ankatso

L'Université d'Anakatso à Antananarivo sur Il était une fois Madagascar

The University of Ankatso in Antananarivo

The Zoma street market

zoma vintage

The Zoma street market via Il était une fois Madagascar

Archival photos of the east-coast city of Toamasina

Toamasina, rue du commerce

Toamasina, Rue du commerce

Young Betsimisaraka girls

jeune fille Betsimisaraka

Young Betsimisaraka girl

Archival photos of the west-coast city of Mahajanga

Mahajanga , le bord de mer

Mahajanga seashore – Boulevard Poincaré

Archival photos of the city of Fianarantsoa in southern Madagascar

Fianaratsoa

Fianarantsoa city hall

Antandroy dancers, southern Madagascar

Danseurs Antadroy dans le Sud de Madagascar

Antandroy dancers in southern Madagascar

Archival photos of the city of Antsiranana, northern Madagascar

Cap Diego

Antsiranana - Le Cap Diégo

Antsiranana – Cap Diego

Imagery from the colonial war of 1895 in Madagascar

Illustration du Petit Journal sur la guerre coloniale à Madagascar

Illustration in the Petit Journal about the colonial war in Madagascar

These two initiatives, as well as other projects striving to preserve Malagasy history, are worthy of note. Readers also provide these pages with pictures of other regions.

 

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