Ampefy is located about two-hour drive away from Antananarivo, on the shores of the Itasy Lake. The small village of Ampefy is a greatly appreciated weekend destination to trade stressful city life for a more peaceful and quiet environment. Visitors are welcomed in a countryside setting, the best choice for relaxation in an exceptional landscape showcasing fields of crops and traditional houses. A boat trip around Lake Itasy, a bike ride to the Lily Waterfall, and a visit to the sacred islet, where the tomb of a 17^th century ruler is located, will be unique and not-to-be-missed experiences worth photographing.

For fishing and canoeing enthusiasts, the Itasy Lake offers a simply wowing landscape and is famous for its fish (mainly carps and tilapias), as well as fruits and vegetables. Ampefy offers pleasant hikes or bike rides towards the lakes of Antohomadinika and Andranoratsy along with some swamps.

The cold-water geysers of Ampefy are worth visiting. Jets of water gush out of holes in the ground that you will find in a clay area. Under the burning sun, visitors enjoy standing next to the jets where the pressure is strong enough to take a cold shower – keeping their clothes on, of course – without using soap. A children's pool with warm water has been set up. What about a clay massage?

A small detour to Lily Waterfall, in Antafofo, is a must during your visit in Ampefy. Many legends arose from this waterfall, including the one about the planter "Vazaha" who mourned his daughter Lily after she was reported missing at this place. After unsuccessful searches, the inhabitants of the village gave the name of the young girl to the waterfall. To better appreciate the beauty of the region, it is advised to go there on foot. The nature gives a majestic show. The hike will take you through volcanic hills and through small villages made of red clay houses. The buzzing of water can be heard from far away, and the environment becomes cooler with each step.

The region's weather conditions are relatively cool throughout the year. Almost all of the nearby hills and mountains have been completely clear-cut and made cultivable by the Merina people. Note that a trip right after the rainy season, around April or May, is a good idea. This is because before tropical rains fall, the water levels will be low and the waterfall will be weak. And during rainy seasons, the way will be merely unusable.

Sources: Madagascar Treasure Island, TripAdvisor, Voyage Madagascar, Ile Rouge

The Kilalao Malagasy (Malagasy games or entertainments) were created based on in-depth studies of the Ntaolo — or Malagasy ancestors — to train the future generations' minds to be able to cope with daily life, do household chores, and most importantly, to predict life ahead. The Kilalao Malagasy were designed not only for an entertainment purpose, but also to educate, discipline and inspire Malagasy children. Let us explore what the kilalao, the tsilalao and the lalao are.

What is the difference between “kilalao”, “tsilalao”, and “lalao”?

The Kilalao refers to the idea of playing. The “ki-“ in the word “kilalao” suggests the idea of something that does not exist, but the players bring to life. For example, kivarivary (collecting dust instead of rice), kiombiomby (making pictures of cows with clay). Another example of kilalao is the “tantara vato” (telling stories with pebbles). In these various games, there are well-defined objectives, rules and some competition.

The Tsilalao, on the other hand, refers to real-life activities but in a miniature form; for example, the tsikoninkonina (cooking real but small meals with small kitchen utensils).

The Lalao, which means "game”, refers to the game of human beings based on the study of humanity, a study of life. The concept often encourages the use of the players’ intelligence and energy.

A few kilalao and tsilalao with their meanings.

The kiombiomby was a popular game among our ancestors and modern generations still play it, especially those in the countryside. It was designed for little boys for them to learn how to breed zebus. Same goes for the tsikoninkonina and the kivarivary, which intended to educate girls and to teach them already how to cook and take care of the house.

Kindrindrina is also a Malagasy game that consists of bringing non-existent things to life, such as making dolls with bits of cloth. They also created the tsindrindrina where children themselves play the role of a couple, parents, everything that already exists but in their own way as children. The goal is to teach the children in advance how to live as adults.

The tantara vato helps to broaden the children's way of thinking.  As soon as little girls start talking, they can all play stories with stones. Same goes for the tsobato which teaches children, usually girls, to read and count.

What makes the tanisa different from the tsobato.

The tanisa is performed by one person using two, three or more stones, while tsobato is a team play. However, the rule remains the same: never let the stone fall to the ground. In the story of tanisa, the game is accompanied by small words in every step of the game, which describe the different categories of people in the Malagasy society.

These are only a few examples of Malagasy traditional games, but there are many other more.

Sources : Tsidika, Mot Malgache, Malagasy Students Union in Wuhan, Gasy fomba, Bibliothèque numérique

Traditionally, journalists used their notebook. A large part of their work involves interviews and telephone calls. Nowadays, journalists work less outdoors, but they rely much more on social media.

Twitter, launched in 2006, is probably the tool that has most transformed editorial offices. As a result, journalists are online extensively to promote their work, their products, their articles and to get information from the people they follow and the people who follow them. Using social networks is faster than the traditional news agencies that the media pay a lot of money for. News sites are also turning into multi-media.

Today, all editorial offices are connected to social networks and practice what is called "computer monitoring". Yet, each journalist will have to check their information with different sources, and sometimes it can be a race for buzz and clicks. The particularity of social media lies in their speed of operation because quick access and quick spread of information play a key role on the success of news agencies.

Even the way articles are written has changed due to the internet.

In the old days, journalists were considered writers and were expected to display a style of writing and storytelling. Today, for online news platforms, this is no longer the case. The rise of digital technology has created new ways of writing in economic and financial articles. Here, journalists' tasks have changed. Before, all they had to do was write, but today they are asked at least to take photos, record a video, and moderate a forum or a live chat. It is even better if they know how to use Photoshop or build and manage a website.

What is a web documentary?

A web documentary is a story told on the web in an interactive way. Between the game and the information, it encourages internet users to discover any information by themselves. The online articles are enriched with maps, infographics, diagrams, and interactive photos. The web documentary is not the only novelty in the world of web journalism.

The entrance of web in the midst of journalism is a today’s reality. Since the arrival of social media, traditional media have experienced a real revolution in the way they work. Some are doing well, while others are struggling. But all are forced to innovate, and this revolution is not over. Journalism along with the web is in full mutation and who knows what tomorrow will bring to journalism.

Sources: Journals Open Edition, Digital News Report, Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media

The havoria is a tradition of Mahafaly and Antandroy tribes to mark important life events. The ritual of havoria is impeccably regulated, whether it is for a collective circumcision or a funeral. The same principle is applicable to all havoria rituals. There are three stages before arriving at the event for which it was held.

Let us consider the case of a collective circumcision of the children in a village. The first stage of the havoria is the milahatse (consultation meeting), which consists in bringing together the members of the families whose children are to be circumcised. During this time, the boys are taken to the hazomanga, the sacred wood of the ancestors. The family will then meet with the mpitak'hazomanga or mpisorona— the village elder— to ask for his blessing to hold the savatse. It is only there that the preparations begin. This would last about three weeks.

Then comes the second stage. During the first week, the organizers proceed to the orik'andro (lunar calendar) which consists in consulting a mpanandro (diviner) who will designate the best timing for the event. The mpanandro indicates the favorable days by considering the course of the Malagasy lunar month which contains 28 days associated with 28 fates, based on the day of birth of the children concerned.

The third step of the process is the vara or talily. This is when the event is announced to all the villagers. When we use the term vara, it means that the guests must bring zebus as enga (gift). If the organizers use the term talily, the guests have to give away money instead.

The festival lasts about a week and is held in December. The guests are welcomed with a big feast, orchestra and of course liters of toaka gasy (artisanal rum).  When the day of the circumcision arrives, the little boys are presented before the hazomanga. The antsiva, a kind of conch shell, is blown to call all the maternal uncles who must each bring a zebu and katrafay wood, reputed to be strong. Then comes the time of the Jihe, a kind of song and dance with a somewhat military rhythm. When the time for circumcision comes, they plant the katrafay near the hazomanga to tie up the zebus.  They take honey and voanemba (grain) and make the to-be-circumcised kids eat them. If the children vomit, their maternal uncle must buy a zebu. This ritual consists in testing the strength of the little boy whose courage will soon be put to the test.

Sources: Finainga, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rakibolana Malagasy

Archeological artifacts suggest that people lived in and around the canyon some 12,000 years ago. Today, it is still considered a sacred place to 11 Native American tribes, despite being moved onto reservations in the 1800’s. The United States did not really explore the area until the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo seated over 500,000 square miles of land to the U.S. included the Grand Canyon.

Thus, in 1857, the U.S. government sent an expedition led by Lieutenant Joseph Ives to explore the Colorado River. While admiring the scenery, in his report he wrote, “The region is, of course, altogether valueless. Ours has been the first, and will doubtless be the last, party of whites to visit this profitless locality.”

History proved Ives wrong, but throughout the late 1800’s, companies struggled to make the area profitable. And few were considering this harsh landscape as a tourist destination. Even so, President Benjamin Harrison saw the need to protect this inspiring place, and created the Grand Canyon National Forest Reserve in 1893.

The Grand Canyon’s popularity grew tremendously after that. In 1901, a new rail line ran directly to the Grand Canyon Village where most tourists, to this day, start their visit. A comfortable train ride, and the brand new El Tovar hotel enticed the elite class to visit the Grand Canyon, including President Theodore Roosevelt. During his 1903 visit, he emphasized the importance of preserving the Grand Canyon in a speech, “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it; not a bit. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.”

In 1908, Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a national monument. During this time, more visitors made use of the traditional Native American walking trails like, the Bright Angel Trail, for mule rides and hiking. More people meant more lodging. Architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter was hired to design many of the park’s most iconic buildings. Thanks to her groundbreaking work, she earned the nickname “Grand Canyon’s architect”.

Finally, three years later, the National Park Service was created. On February 26th, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park into law, making it the nation’s 17th national park. Over 37,000 people visited the newly enshrined park in its first year.

Today, the park has hosted more than 211 million guests. However, all this momentum led to some growing pains. Commercial flights, which were gaining popularity in the 1950’s, would treat passengers to a view of the Grand Canyon while en route to their destination. 

Sources: Arizona dream, Authentic USA, US News, Visit Arizona, The Canyon, Grand Canyon

Located in the northern part of Madagascar, 1,300 km away from Antananarivo, Antsiranana (or Diego-Suarez) is the capital of the DIANA region. As reflected in the city's infrastructure and appearance, the city of Diego-Suarez was built by foreigners and its name derives from two Portuguese natives Diego Diaz and Fernando Suarez.

How to get there? Head on the fourth National Road and take the detour towards the NR6 when you hit Ambondromamy.

The origin of the name Antsiranana remains blurred. Some explain it with the combination of two words “sira” and “anana” – which literally mean salt and lettuce – as the territory abounds in salt and greens. Others say it comes from the word seranana (or harbor).

The origin of “Diego tsara patry”.

In the old days, the inhabitants of Diego wore a type of cloth called patry. Patry is a kind of Indian pea cloth and was considered one of the best and trendiest types of clothing at that time.
How Nosy Lonjo was formed.

Diego is also famous for its small island in the middle of the ocean, called Nosy Lonjo or “Bain du sucre”, which previously did not exist. Nosy Lonjo is historically acknowledged a place of blessing. According to the legend, a man was chased by a group of gangsters; he was trapped and could no longer escape. Then, he prayed to God and begged for a blessing, and an island moved to the middle of the sea in response to his prayer. This island became Nosy Lonjo. Others say Nosy Lonjo was just the result of an old major earthquake.

Who is Dadimasy or Tsimatahodrafy?

Three siblings left Menabe to settle in Diego. However, once they arrived in Ambilobe, they left their sister, Tsimatahodrafy. Tsimatahodrafy then took Diego and lived in a place called Botatsy. Tsimatahodrafy performed many miracles there. She asked to be buried on Nosy Lonjo but the locals refused. They said that their ancestors, called Lonjo, had already been buried there. At this point, Tsimatahodrafy blessed them and headed west.

When Tsimatahodrafy was buried at her grave site, she was called Dadimasy. The legend says her flesh did not decompose but had remained the same for a long time. Later, many people come to Dadimasy’s gravesite to ask for blessings.
Part of what makes Diego famous is the Place Joffre monument. Joffre is told to be one of the main builders of the city. Place Joffre makes Diego aesthetic, elegant, and old-fashioned.

Looking for some good vibes and some fun? Diego is the place to be!

Sources: Madagascar Treasure Island, Voyage Madagascar, Discover Africa, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Amazon is undoubtedly the biggest e-commerce store in the world. You can find all sorts of items from electronics to books. From a tumble beginning as an online bookstore, the company has defied all odds to be what it is today.

Founded on July 25th, 1994, by Jeff Bezos, the company has grown in leaps and bounds over its 27-year history and has become a global icon and a pacesetter in the e-commerce industry. The biggest edge of Amazon comes from a product that was launched in 2005, the service is amazon prime. At that time, Amazon Prime cost 79 dollars per year and it allowed customers to get unlimited two-day deliveries on their orders. Without prime, it would cost a customer 9,48 dollars to get an item delivered within two days. This means that if a customer placed nine orders a year, prime would have paid for itself. Prime proved to be a game changer for the company as prime members spend more money and are more frequent customers on the site than non-prime members.

Amazon reported record profits in 2018, earning $10.1 billion in net income compared to just three billion dollars in 2017. Considering the company hardly had any annual profit 2016, it represents major growth.

Amazon long dominated the U.S e-commerce market, online sales are not actually the biggest moneymaker for the company. Its e-commerce division is not even profitable internationally. Instead, Amazon Web Services or AWS has generated the majority of the company’s operating income since 2016.

AWS is Amazon’s cloud computing division, comprised of a huge network of servers providing processing and storage solutions for companies, government agencies and individuals. Its clients, which include Netflix, Airbnb and Yelp, are changed for their volume of usage, the features they subscribe to, and the services they use.

In 2018, AWS brought in 7,3 billion dollars in operating income and 25,7 billion dollars in revenue which, for reference, is more than both McDonald’s and Macy’s. Although it is a huge reason behind Amazon’s recent probability, other areas of the company are seeing major growth as well. The fastest growing division of Amazon is its advertising business. It grew 95 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 and brought in $10.1 billion in revenue for the year overall.

The last segment experiencing major growth is the third-party marketplace. While Amazon traditionally buys products in bulk from wholesales and sells them at a sight markup, in the third-party marketplace outside companies pay Amazon to sell their goods using its platform. Amazon takes about a 15 to 20 percent cut of the sales, while also collecting storage and shipping fees. While Amazon generates significantly less revenue from third-party merchants than from products it sells, margins are much higher, making it more profitable than the traditional model.

Today, more than half of all goods sold come from third-party sellers, and more and more businesses are signing up. Sales of third-party seller services rose by 34 percent in 2018 to 42.7 billion dollars.

Sources: New York Times, Forbes, Amazon, Consumer News and Business Channel

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law that provides the framework of the United States government. It also establishes the rights and freedoms of American citizens. On the 17th of September of each year, America observes Constitution Day.

The U.S. Constitution’s first three words “We the people” affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve the citizens. The American Constitution is the first permanent of its kind. It has influenced many nations in the design of their respective constitutions. The U.S. Constitution is on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington DC.

The U.S. Constitution has a rich history. Former American President James Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution his commitment to careful and accurate record keeping of the U.S. Constitution. The founding fathers gathered in the city of Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. On that day, they concluded of the constitutional convention.

The document was signed and made official. September 17 was then officially designated as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day by the Congress on February 29, 1952. The purpose of the holiday is to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution and to honor all American citizens. Public American educational institutions and federal agencies pledge to provide information, to teach, review and reflect upon the history of the U.S. constitution.

American people celebrate Constitution Day by attending local events such as parades and demonstrations to promote the freedoms guaranteed within the U.S. Constitution. If it happens that Constitution Day overlaps with another holiday, educational institutions and federal agencies observe the holiday in the next available weekend.

For the record, the U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times in all. The first ten are called the “Bill of Rights” and guarantee American citizens freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, the right to bear arms, right of trial by jury, freedom from excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishments. The earliest amendments are the backbone of the protection of human rights.

It is the sworn duty of America’s leaders in every branch of the government to work with and faithfully respect the Constitution each and every day.

Sources: Constitution Day, Archives, Constitution Center, American Bar

Back to the Malibu Wave Contest 2019. The contest – which is one of the biggest kitesurfing contests in the world – took place on Ganh-Vietnam beaches in January 2019. During that event, Tsiory Panoël Razafindrasata achieved an honorable performance, making it to the semi-finals.

How did it all start?

It all started in 2013 when I was on vacation in Diego. When I visited the “Baie de Sakalava” and first played kitesurf, I immediately told myself, "I will go deeper into this sport." From there, I started getting to know more about kitesurfing at a Kitesurf school in Diego. At the same time, I started initiating my friends to this sport even though I was not qualified yet. In 2017, I decided to pursue a world kitesurfing instructor training in Mauritius. That allowed me to travel to many countries, such as Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia and to other kitesurfing spots.

Why kitesurfing?

My passion for kitesurfing has always been strong, but I have also realized that it promotes both myself and my country, as it attracts a lot of tourists. In fact, Madagascar has one of the best kitesurfing spots in the world, the Baie de Sakalava.

Has kitesurfing changed your life?

Yes, it has. My dream has always been to travel and to experience many other cultures and traditions. I fulfilled what I desired by kitesurfing then. I have also started to develop myself by growing my network around the world. Being associated with good management and leadership skills, kitesurfing is a rewarding career.

What makes kitesurfing so special?

The word “kitesurfing” itself suggests that the used equipment has two main parts. First, the kite— which serves as a sail— is blown by the wind so that users can float smoothly on the water with a side-on wind bringing them to a three-meter wave on the reef. The second tool is the board which consists of a foot step. All kinds of board are suitable for kitesurfing. Kitesurfing also contributes to the satisfaction of all the tourism related fields in Diego Suarez, such as hospitality, transportation, fishing.

How would you rate kitesurf in Madagascar?

It is true that Madagascar is still a developing country, but in terms of kitesurfing, it ranks as one of the richest and 100-percent qualified spots for kiteboarding in the world. The entire world acknowledges the natural beauty of Madagascar and its long winding seasons— which really favors kitesurfing.

How is the next championship coming along?

Back in 2019, we already participated in the Malibu Kite Wave Contest, and we have already reached the preliminary round. In 2020, we participated again in the fourth edition of this competition, and we performed even better. We are looking forward to seeing Madagascar being represented once again at the 2024 Olympic Games in France.

Today, the US celebrates American workers. Happy Labor Day!

In the late 1800s, American workers were obliged to work 12-hour days, seven days a week, under very difficult conditions. Unions finally had enough, and on May 1st, 1886, hundreds of thousands of people went on strike across the country to demand eight-hour workdays. Three days later, a bomb exploded in Chicago's Haymarket Square – the city at the center of the unrest – as tension mounted between strikers and scabs, killing seven police officers and four civilians. This event only added to the pressure for workers' rights, but it was not until nearly a decade later that President Grover Cleveland signed the Labor Day Act into law in 1894.

May Day continued to be recognized as Labor Day in the rest of the world, as the holiday was eventually adopted internationally. In the United States, the holiday was set for the first Monday in September. This was an attempt to distance any association with the Haymarket riots for fear that they would fuel support for communism and other radical ideas. May Day eventually became a major holiday in the former Soviet Union, marked by large military parades.

Labor Day celebrates the American worker. It is also the unofficial end of the summer vacation and recreation season. In most American school districts, summer ends right after Labor Day. The celebrations are informal, and the main purpose of this holiday is to give people a day off and to recognize the contributions of working men and women to the nation.

On any given Labor Day in the United States, you can smell the barbecues lighting up and see many people gathering informally in parks and in their own backyards. In addition to celebrating workers, this day indicates that summer is coming to an end. In tourist towns, you can start to see cars leaving and people going home. Parades are sometimes held to celebrate the day as well.

Labor Day is also important to professional sports because it marks the official start of the professional football season in the United States. On the Thursday immediately following Labor Day, sports fans watch the very first professional football game of the year. For college students, the start of the academic year occurs right after the holiday, and college football is in full swing shortly after the holiday.

“No white after Labor Day”!

According to historians, the phrase "no white after Labor Day" comes from the time when the upper class returned from their summer vacations and put away their light, white summer clothes to return to school and work. Wearing white shoes after Labor Day and before Memorial Day is considered a faux pas by some fashion-conscious Americans. However, this is a custom that is no longer practiced today.

Unfortunately, this year, once again, with the surge in cases of Covid-19 with the Delta variant across the country, despite eased restrictions, the US Government encourages American people not to commute too much to help stop the spread of the virus. Happy Labor Day, American people!

Sources: History, Britannica, Do Something, The United States Embassy in Georgia