Modern Malagasy culture can be described as a blend of various cultures. If we look back at Madagascar’s settlement history, from the “Vazimba” era – told as the first inhabitants of the island who are of mixed Indonesian and African origins – to its current population, Madagascar’s cultural identity has evolved over the centuries.

In the Malagasy culture, dance and music have always played an important role in expressing emotions and thoughts. With no music and dance, traditional ceremonies and festivities would be bland. During wedding ceremonies and other traditional such as the “famadihana” or exhumation and circumcision, dance and music bring Malagasy people together.

Traditional Malagasy music and dance rooted in the royal era. In the late 16th century, the “Valiha” appeared as the first and most popular Malagasy instrument. Later came the piano and the guitar.At the same time, traditional dances such as the “Afindrafindrao” emerged too.

The derivative of the trendy European quadrille dance of the 19th-century

While the Afindrafindrao historically originated in the central highlands, it is a famous dance across all the regions of Madagascar. It is said to come from the traditional Betsimisaraka dance called “basesa”, performed on valiha with guitar accompaniment. Other historians reported that the Afindrafindrao was performed by the kings of Imerina. King Radama II who had an outstanding talent for playing musical instruments was told to have initiated the Afindrafindrao. Later it would have been officially established in the Merina court under the reign of Queen Ranavalona III. Since then, the Afindrafindrao has become a custom dance for all Malagasy people and has served as the inescapable opening dance to family and social festivities.

How to dance the Afindrafindrao?

Following a line formation in which men and women are placed alternatively, the Afindrafindrao reminds us of the “English quadrille dance” in the 19th century which became popular among the noble class – kings and queens – in the capital.

The quadrille is a fashionable dance featuring four or five couples in a square setting, well-known as contredanses. It is a two-person dance showcasing predefined and repetitive dance steps. The Afindrafindrao has quite similar dance figures to contredanses andis generally executed by mixed couples of men and women. At any rate, dancing the Afindrafindrao is quite easy to learn, even for foreigners.

In the 21st century, musicians have attempted to bring a touch of modernity to the song. So did contemporary dancers by adding new steps to the traditional choreography. However, the traditional and authentic version of the Afindrafindrao remains deeply rooted in the Malagasy culture. Nothing better than the original!

The full PDF version of the magazine is available for free download (here).

Sources: “Gitara Gasy: Guitar Music of Madagascar”, Philip Lewis, 2017 / “Dance Africa: Groupe Bakomanga”, Fredara Mareva Hadley, Ph.D., 2014 / Britannica.

Tsanta Randriamihajasoa is a 23-year-old instrument virtuoso. At his very young age, he already works as a professional musician and plays diverse instruments including Valiha, flute, guitar, trumpet, organ, drums, piano, cello, sax, and accordion. At the same time, he is a composer, a producer, an arranger, a performer, and a band leader. He has already performed with different great artists and musicians like Fanja Andriamanantena, Fanaiky, Joel Rabesolo, Nicolas Vatomanga, TGC, GMMC and Meva gospel. Music – jazz in particular – has no secret to this very talented young man. He always joined the lineup for Madajazzcar festival and has toured with jazz stars. In 2018, he was selected for a cultural exchange program called “One beat”.

AMCHAM: When did your career as a professional musician start?

TSANTA: Son of musicians, I started music at a very young age. My professional career took off when I was only 11. I first played within family music band named “Sodiala”, led by my father. We performed traditional Malagasy and world music. Sodiala means “Solofo Dimbin’ny Ala” – or “heir”. Later at 15y.o., I seized the opportunity to fly on my own. Since then, I have embraced a wide variety of music and made it my career.

AMCHAM: Tell us briefly about “One Beat” program.

TSANTA: One Beat is one of the opportunities that were offered to me. It is a cultural exchange program provided by the U.S. Department of State and produced by “Found Sound Nation”and “Bang on a Can”. Each year since 2012, these music organizations select 25 outstanding musicians around the world. For the first time, Madagascar was chosen for the seventh edition. We were initially more than 1,000 participants andI thank God I was among the 25 selected.

AMCHAM: Tell us about your experience as One Beat participant.

TSANTA: Flying to the US wasa brand new experience to me and was my first time. It was a dream come true. This six-week program along the east coast of the US made me realize how important diversity is. Everything was new to my eyes and my ears. It was a pleasant atmosphere and a delightful moment! The reason why we were there was to share our music experience and to exchange with others regardless of where they come from, since we all came from different countries.

AMCHAM: How does it feel to represent Madagascar at the international level?

TSANTA: I would say that it was uplifting and thriving. Representing my country for an international program like One Beat was a source of great pride. At the same time, it feels like the more I attended the program and connect with participants, the bigger my commitment and efforts became. My goal for One Beat was to finally bring to light Madagascar and its music. Malagasy musical instruments deserve to be known. I came with a typically Malagasy instrument called “MAROVANY” and it was highly appreciated. 

The full PDF version of the magazine is available for free download (here).

When speaking of Hollywood, what comes immediately to our mind is cinema and movie stars. Apart from the famed Hollywood sign hanged on the top of the Hollywood hills which is often viewed as a symbol of the American film industry, Hollywood is also known for its many entertaining landscapes and monuments. Los Angeles has always been one of the best U.S. tourist destinations and visiting Hollywood has turned out to be a must.

A star’s story.

Stretching along the streets of Hollywood sits the world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, mainly located on both sides of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The Hollywood Walk of Fame has been recognized internationally as a cultural icon making it a top visitor attraction. What truly stands it out from other monuments is its five pointed terrazzo and brass stars that are implanted on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.

These stars essentially have symbolic meanings and represent a lot for people working in the field of entertainment and film industry. Names of musicians, actors, directors, producers, musical and theatrical groups are inscribed on the stars. Anyone, including a fan, can take part in nominating a candidate to get a star on the Walk of Fame. Once chosen, the star or their sponsor has to pay a fee for the ceremony and is given five years to set a date for it. Before officially receiving their star and having it stubbed on the famous sidewalks, the celebrity must be assessed through various criteria such as “longevity in the entertainment industry” and “contributions made to the show business community”. Today, 2,690 stars have been awarded and put on the Walk of Fame list. These stars are classified in six main categories: motion pictures, television, recording, radio, live performance, and what is called special star.

Hollywood walk of fame history.

Created in 1958, the Walk of Fame was the brainchild of a man named E.M Stuart, the Vice President of Hollywood’s Chamber of Commerce. In 1953, Stuart proposed the Walk as a tribute to the glory and glamour of Hollywood. In August 1958, the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Los Angeles unveiled publicly eight stars on Hollywood Boulevard along with actors displaying the stars for Hollywood’s three-mile Walk of Fame. From that day on, the construction of the 18-block stretch began and was completed in spring 1961. The first star to be grounded in the new Walk was that of Stanley Kramer, American film director and producer. Other stars have been continuously added and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce as the representative of the City of Los Angeles keeps doing so every year.

In 1978, the Hollywood Walk of Fame was designated by the Cultural Heritage Board of the City of Los Angeles as Historic-Cultural Monument. Since then, an estimated 10 million visitors come each year.

Sources: Official website of the Hollywood Walk of Fame / Los Angeles Times.

Inspired by the true story and life experience of Hal Elrod, an American author and successful speaker, the phenomenon of the miracle morning has grown into a worldwide movement through his book “The Miracle Morning”. Today, many readers who gave it a try have testified changes in any or every area of their life.

The book was written based on the real life experience of Elrod. He faced several hardships such as an almost fatal accident in 1999 and many failures in almost every sphere of his life in 2007. In his hardest times, he came up with the idea of turning downs into a more rewarding life experience through changing his morning routines. From that day, his life has known a huge shift pushing him to write everything down with the confidence that anyone can truly have their life changed and wake up their full potential. His mission is to elevate the consciousness of humanity through the miracle morning exercises.

What is the miracle morning and how does it work?

In the book, the miracle morning is a set of practices engaging readers to make a small action everyday starting from getting up earlier in the morning. When writing his book, Elrod asserted about how people can attain productivity and success through switching their routines in the morning. In other words, people can literally change their lives by changing how they start their day.

Practicing the miracle morning involves using a six-steps morning routine called Life S.A.V.E.R.S which stands for Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing.

• Silence: When waking up in the morning, there is no better feeling than being calm and in peace with oneself. Silence is the first step towards making your miracle morning a success. Just start every morning with a period of purposeful silence of at least five minutes. When doing so, you can meditate, pray, ponder, and practice breathing exercises or only gratitude.

• Affirmations: It is similar to Coué method – an approach using autosuggestion to boost self-confidence – of French psychologist and pharmacist Emile Coué. This second step consists in writing down positive statements about oneself and reading them out loud in the morning. By doing this, you program yourself to be both confident and successful in everything you do.

• Visualization: A crucial step that most self-help and development books mention. Visualization is about having a positive vision of your ideal life and imagining all the situations around it, even the smallest details. When you visualize, you need above all to project yourself as a winner and think in a way that everything is possible and attainable. Elrod says that you should do that for five minutes everyday in the morning.

• Exercise: This is about including physical activities in the morning ritual so as to increase energy and improve health. Every morning, you only need to sweat their body for a few minutes and nothing more. Simple physical exerciseof 10 to 20 minutes is enough to start a productive day.

• Reading and Scribing: Reading here is to learn from other successful persons who have already achieved their life goals via books. Hal Elrod encourages beginners to read 10 pages every morning, regularly; and to immerse themselves in self-help books rather than fiction. After reading, the last step is to put all your ideas and goals on paper while keeping a written record of your positive thoughts and the means set to reach them. The author recommends using a diary.

If these six miracle morning life savers by Hal Elrod have helped many people change their lives, why not yours? So, grab the book and start your own experience with the miracle morning!

Source: “The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life: Before 8AM”, Hal Elrod, 2014.

The list of the world’s wealthiest people is constantly changing as the world keeps evolving. Riches are assessed based on the person’s latest net worth and financial performance. In 2020, there were reportedly 2,095 billionaires on earth, with an estimated total net worth of $8 trillion. As of 2021, in the 35th annual Forbes list of billionaires, 660 members were added up to the list. This year, Forbes has then recorded 2,755 billionaires with a total net wealth of $13.1 trillion.

According to the Forbes World’s Billionaires List, as of the annual rankings published in March, here are the top five wealthiest people on the planet with their special assets:

1. Jeff Bezos, CEO and founder of Amazon. Jeff is the known richest man in the world hinged on the annual rankings of Forbes on the 2021 richest billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $177 billion. Jeff Bezos is an American entrepreneur and investor who founded the e-commerce Amazon, which became the largest retailer on the World Wide Web and the model for Internet sales. He is also the founder of Blue Origin, the private space company.

2. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. These two companies are his main sources of wealth, Elon Musk focuses on revolutionizing transportation on earth, through electric car manufacturer Tesla, and in space via rocket designer SpaceX. His net worth was valued at $151 billion. Apart from Tesla and SpaceX, he is also entitled the originator of The Boring Company – an infrastructure and tunnel construction services company – co-founder of Neuralink – a neurotechnology company producing implantable brain-machine interfaces – and initial co-chairman of OpenAI – an Artificial Intelligence research and deployment company.

3. Bernard Arnault & family, chairman and CEO of LVMH. LVMH is a French multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods. Thanks to his company which owns more than 70 brands including Louis Vuitton, Henessey and Sephora, in March, the net worth of the company amounted to $150 billion. Bernard Arnault is the wealthiest European on the list.

4. Bill Gates, former CEO and co-founder of Microsoft. Bill Gates has always been near the top of the rich list for the past 20 years. It was in 2018 when Jeff Bezos became for the first time the first richest man on the list, exceeding Bill Gates. However, despite Bill Gates sold and gave away much of his stake in Microsoft – the largest software company – to focus more on his philanthropic work and with only one percent of Microsoft ownership stake, he had a net worth of $124 billion in March. In addition to co-founding Microsoft, he also co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation where he has donated around 35.8 billion dollars, as per Forbes.

5. Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Facebook. Who does not know this young and talented entrepreneur who created Facebook – the world’s largest social networking service? Mark Zuckerberg made fortune after launching Facebook at the age of 19 and became the youngest billionaire of all times. His net worth in March reached $97 billion.

These rankings were based on Forbes’s list released in March. However, between May and June, the list had been updated. As per Forbes’ list of May 24, 2021 for instance, Bernard Arnault was ranked at the top with a net worth that amounts of $186.3 billion, with Jeff Bezos slightly behind him on the second place with $186 billion and Elon Musk on the third place with a net value of $147.3 billion. By the end of June, Jeff Bezos took back his first place with $198.1 billion, with Bernard Renault ranked on the second list with $189.6 billion of net worth and Elon Musk who remains on the third place with a net worth of $167.5 billion.

Sources: Business Insider India/ Forbes/ Business Connect

America has a diverse higher education system which offers large-scale opportunities in the pursuit of higher education for both local and international students. It also provides a wide range of classes and programs enabling college students to thrive both academically and professionally. One of these education programs is community college which is very common in the US. Today, there are over 1,000 community colleges in America.

American Community colleges.

A community college is a type of educational institution that provides vocational curriculum and college transfer academic programs for high school students. The term has various meanings in different countries. In the US, community colleges were used to be called junior colleges, but it fell from popularity over time and have become today “community colleges”, or technical colleges in other papers. These US colleges are essentially public institutions that afford tertiary education – also known as continuing or post-secondary education – and offer a variety of degrees and certificates. These include diplomas and associate degrees.

The main difference between a community college and a university is that it only takes two years to complete programs and get degrees at a community college, while in a university, it is a four-year college program. As its name suggests, a community college primarily accounts for its surrounding community but also serves as an access point into traditional university for students who plan to pursue higher education. That is why these colleges provide both traditional academic curricula and more technical and vocational programs.

After the two-year school, students at community colleges get degrees of Arts or Science, known as the Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS). After graduation, it is up to the students to choose whether they wish to continue and be transferred to a liberal arts college to complete their bachelor’s degree or to immediately integrate the workforce.

The advantages of attending a community college.

Studying in a community college may have many benefits. First, not everyone can afford the four-year education at a conventional university. However, those who have the means can save money on tuition before heading off to a four-year college.

Fees and tuition costs form a huge gap between a community college and university. According to US News data, the average cost of annual tuition and fees at traditional institutions for the 2018-2019 academic year was $35,676 at private colleges, $9,716 for national students at public colleges and $21,629 for international students. By comparison, the average cost of attending public community college is $3,660 per year for state residents according to the 2018 Trends in College Pricing report released by the College Board. Therefore, a community college is significantly much more affordable and accessible. In addition, it allows students to enter the workforce easily and quickly since they are already prepared for that.

In the US education system, a community college and university stand equally in importance.They can both offer a great opportunity for in-state and international students seeking to extend their knowledge and skills.

Sources: Study in the USA / U.S. News

We all want a life of fulfillment, a life in which we can unleash our potential. Yet, these times of strain and uncertainty do not help. It turns out that people are getting more and more impatient and lost. Their confidence and self-esteem dwindle; their insights and beliefs change. Instead of living, people survive, and are happy with that.

According to Carol Dweck, one of the world’s leading researchers in the fields of personality development, social psychology, and developmental psychology, it is all about mindset. She wrote “Mindset: the new psychology of success”, a book that dives into the universe of psychology, mindset, and human motivation. In her book, Dweck asserts that our mindset shapes our personality, but at the same time, our mindset sets limits to our growth potential. Our mindset may greatly shape our beliefs, decisions, and the way we cope with any situation.

Dweck’s book exposes findings and tries to inform readers about the two existing types of mindsets: the “fixed mindset” and the “growth mindset”.

The fixed mindset:

Carol Dweck compares a fixed mindset to the belief that people’s qualities are carved in stone and that their intelligence or personality cannot be developed. Personality is nothing more than a deep-seated trait. People with a fixed mindset stand and live for survival and do not even know that this may prevent them from growing and reaching their full potential. They assume that people are either smart or dumb, ethical or unethical, good or bad, rich or poor, etc. That way, they end up admitting that they are who they are, and that nothing can change it. People with a fixed mindset tend to avoid risks and challenges. Instead of striving and learning from mistakes and failures, they will always find excuses and want to prove themselves correct over and over. They exist but do not live.

The growth mindset:

In the other hand, possessing a growth mindset is far beyond living for a survival purpose. People with this other kind of mindset attempt to transcend a state of existence out of yearning. Growth mindset is based on the belief that people’s basic qualities are things that they can cultivate through efforts. Carol Dweck maintains in her book that although people may differ in every way – in their initial talents and abilities, interests, or temperaments – everyone can change and grow through learning and experience. People with a growth or thriving mindset are more likely to reach their full potential and succeed in life because they live to thrive, not to survive. They look at things differently and believe that they are capable of reaching a higher level of intelligence, building stronger personality traits, and achieving fulfillment.

Growth mindset is the key to a thriving life. So, let go of your old habits and way of thinking that hold you back from achieving what you think is a successful life.

Sources: “Mindset: the new psychology of success”, Carol Susan Dweck, Ph.D. , 2006 / Medium

Madagascar definitely has a unique culture. The island is known for its blended culture due to the various traditions practiced by its different ethnic groups. This uniqueness always makes tourists and even locals amazed by the things that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world.

One of the common customs and traditions perpetrated by all Malagasy people, regardless of their ethnicity, is the umbilical cord burial. It consists in entombing the placenta and umbilical cord of a new-born baby. In the Malagasy culture, the birth of a baby is an important event that deserves ceremonies. However, prior to any celebration, the placenta and umbilical cord of the baby must be beforehand taken home for burial in the grounds of the ancestral home. This ritual acts as a pre-established cultural construct of the human body and personhood of the baby. For Malagasy people, the placenta represents the ancestors, and the ancestors’ beliefs still govern today’s Malagasy culture.

Here is how the tradition goes.

When a baby is born, the father is conferred the umbilical cord and attached placenta. Following the tradition, the father takes them with him to bury under a stone – known as vato razana, which loosely translated means placenta-ancestor stone – at the entrance of the ancestral home or in a clean place around the family house. The stone is placed over the umbilical cord and placenta already wrapped in scraps of cloth that have been used during the birth once the hole has been refilled. When the father proceeds with the burial ritual, he must remain focused and avoid any distraction. In Malagasy beliefs, when the father gets distracted or only turns his head throughout the ritual, it may have a consequence on the baby once adult. Similarly, a new-born baby whose umbilical cord is lost or not buried correctly, he or she may end up being a forgetful grown-up.

How Malagasy society views the custom.

All customs and traditions are important to Malagasy people including the burial practice. Not only is it recognized to protect the child’s future, but it also represents the continuation of family lineage. That is why ancestors established this ritual and insisted that it must be made in the right way. Umbilical cords are buried because burial is believed to anchor the baby to the Earth. Just as the umbilical cord anchors the child and the baby in the womb, entombing it in the soil creates lifelong connection between the baby and the place.

This traditional ritual has not faded away. Until today, the umbilical cord burial is still practiced each time a new-born baby is added to the family.

Sources: “Place, Person and Ancestry among the Temanambondro of Southeast Madagascar”, Philip Thomas, 1996 / The Culture Trip

The day reminds us how Madagascar hardly fought to gain its independence over France. For more than 60 years, Madagascar and its people had been under French control until it officially changed on June 26th, 1960.

It was worth the fight.

If we look back, Madagascar had already been through a lot and had much to fight for. History tells that, in the 19th century, when the island was united and ruled as the kingdom of Madagascar, France invaded it by removing the monarchy and establishing colonial rule.Since 1897, Madagascar was entirely dependent on France, and that lasted for 63 years. It was in 1946 that everything started to change. A few political parties came out to advocate for Madagascar’s independence after General Charles de Gaulles announced all colonies were to become French overseas territories. One of these parties was the “Mouvement Démocratique de la Rénovation Malgache”, commonly known as MDRM. Another important political party also founded at that timewas the PADESM or “Parti des Déshérités de Madagascar”. PADESM – a pro-France Malagasy political party in the east of Madagascar created with support from the colonial authorities to compete with MDRM.

It was in 1947 that Malagasy uprising began, involving Malagasy nationalists to rebel against French colonial rule. The uprising lasted from March 1947 to February 1949. Nationalist insurgence forced France to establish reformed institutions in 1956 and paved the way for Madagascar to move towards independence without more violent demonstrations. Finally, The Malagasy Republic was proclaimed on October 14th, 1958, and Madagascar was declared as an autonomous state within the French community. In 1959, a constitution was adopted, and the Big Island gained – on June 26th, 1960 – its full independence as the Republic of Madagascar.

The birth of the Independence Day

In Madagascar, the celebration of the Independence Day takes place annually on June 26th. It is a public holiday that is celebrated with big feast. It is typically observed with festivals and other commemorative events. Every year, in the evening of June 25th – Malagasy fellowsare used to spending time together with family or taking their kids outside for a “Harendrina” walk and see the fireworks in town – if fireworks there are. It is also common for Malagasy people to attend shows– the podium – a few days before the real celebration of June 26th. On the D-day, Malagasy compatriots gather along the stadium of Mahamasina – recently baptized the “Barea stadium” – to watch and enjoy the military parade.

This year, Madagascar will celebrate its Independence Day this Saturday and unlike what happened in 2020 – when Malagasy people were not able to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee due to the sanitary crisis – this year’s celebration is going to take place while respecting the sanitary measures and barriers. About 20,000 people are expected to attend the military parade, which will run from the afternoon to the evening, at the Barea Stadium on this Saturday, 26.

Sources: Wild Madagascar/ Office Holidays/ Garda World

Everyone has a different understanding of the word “genius”. Many theories state that everyone has a genius within them and can be a genius. On the other hand, some argue that no one is born a genius and that everyone has the potential to excel, but only those who have practiced enough and have dedicated themselves fully in what they undertake will become so.

People considered to be genius seem to be endowed with a more particular intelligence or specific skills than others. Therefore, they are essentially believed to have a special brain enabling them to think differently, and more ingeniously. This may be partly due to they know how to use their brain to a fuller extend.

Who does not know Albert Einstein? This notable and talented man behind the theory of relativity is widely acknowledged being one of the greatest physicists of all time and regarded as a genius. Many researchers assumed that it took a very special brain to come up with the theory of relativity and Einstein’s other great and stunning accomplishments. In fact, Einstein was quite an ordinary person, but his curiosity and nonconformist personality led him to make incredible breakthroughs and to change the world.

This shows that being a genius may be all about personality and hardwork. Defining the notion of genius is not so simple as we may think. According to Immanuel Kant – a famous philosopher – genius is “a talent for producing that for which no definite rule can be given” and “is not a mere aptitude for what can be learned by a rule”. This means, if you think you are a genius because you have the ability to memorize lots of information or do something with great rapidity or suchlike, you may be wrong. From Kant’s perspective, using the concept of genius in fine art, we would say that it could also apply to other practices including science, sports, business, and religion. Similarly, it could be interpreted as coming from the use of the faculties of imagination and understanding that everyone possesses. So maybe anyone can be a genius, and everyone has the capacity to do ground-breaking work.

The characteristics of a genius

Anyone can achieve greatness, yet to be a genius, a tremendous amount of work is needed. So, if you want to become one, you need to consider the key traits of a genius and embrace them. According to Craig Wright, a Yale professor and author of the book “The Hidden Habits of Genius”, these are some of the hidden habits of genius.

1. A genius has a curious mind.

2. Genius people are passion-driven.

3. Being a genius requires to be abstract thinkers.

4. As a genius, you need to be a risk-taker.

Sources: Oxbridge / Aesthetics Today/ The Washington Post