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" Exploring the Poetic Fervor of Madagascar"

Dominique Ranaivoson has spent the last twenty years gathering scarce writings by Malagasy poets both old and new, assembling them into a must-read collection.

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Scholar Dominique Ranaivoson amasses verses penned by Malagasy poets old and new over the past two...
Scholar Dominique Ranaivoson amasses verses penned by Malagasy poets old and new over the past two decades, some of which are scarce. She meticulously assembles them into a must-read compilation.

" Exploring the Poetic Fervor of Madagascar"

🌴 Madagascar's Inferno of Words: Dominique Ranaivoson's Poetic Expedition

Welcome to the land of scorching syllables, as Malagasy wordsmith Jacques Rabemananjara once stated—Madagascar. This island nation is brimming with a shared passion for poetry, a cultural obsession that echoes through national radio waves, families, theaters, city streets, and even among the youth in slam competitions. And let's not forget "kabary", an age-old form of poetic discourse dating back to the 15th century, now UNESCO-listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage[1]. Madagascar's streets are a chorus of rhythmic verses in both Malagasy and French, a charming legacy of France's colonial past[2].

Poetry isn't merely a literary genre in Madagascar; it's a mirror reflecting the soul of the Malagasy people. "The Malagasy's material, cultural, and spiritual life is drenched in poetry if it isn't poetry itself," wrote poet Flavien Ranaivo[2]. Little wonder then, that seasoned literature scholar Dominique Ranaivoson has spent nearly three decades captivated by this island's effervescent literary scene. As a professor of Southern literatures at the University of Lorraine, she delves deep into the realms of Malagasy poetry, pouring her findings into her latest anthology, "Madagascar Poetry". According to her, this anthology is a "stroll through an imagination that can sometimes resonate so closely, it feels like your own, and at other times, it remains eerily distant"[3].

وelcome to the land of firestorm verses, as Malagasy scribe Jacques Rabemananjara once declared—Madagascar. This island nation pulses with a collective ardor for poetry, a cultural obsession that reverberates through national radio waves, families, theaters, city streets, and even among the youth in spitting contests. And let's not forget "kabary", an ageless form of poetic discourse dating back to the 15th century, now UNESCO-listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage[1]. Madagascar's streets vibrate with rhythmic recitations in both Malagasy and French, a charming legacy of France's colonial shackles[2].

Poetry isn't merely a literary genre in Madagascar; it's a mirror reflecting the heart of the Malagasy people. "The Malagasy's material, cultural, and spiritual life is soaked in poetry if it isn't poetry itself", wrote poet Flavien Ranaivo[2]. Little surprise then, that seasoned literature scholar Dominique Ranaivoson has spent nearly three decades transfixed by this island's lyrical scene. As a professor of Southern literatures at the University of Lorraine, she immerses herself deep into the realms of Malagasy poetry, regurgitating her findings into her latest anthology, "Madagascar Poetry". According to her, this anthology is a "saunter through an imagination that can sometimes resonate so closely, it feels like your own, and at other times, it remains eerily distant"[3].

  1. Poetry in Madagascar is not only a literary form, but also a reflection of the Malagasy people's soul, as poet Flavien Ranaivo wrote.
  2. The anthology "Madagascar Poetry," by Dominique Ranaivoson, offers a stroll through an imagination that sometimes feels like one's own and at others remains eerily distant.
  3. Madagascar's streets echo with rhythmic recitations in both Malagasy and French, a legacy of France's colonial past.
  4. Dominique Ranaivoson, a professor of Southern literatures at the University of Lorraine, has spent nearly three decades captivated by Madagascar's effervescent literary scene.
  5. Kabary, an ancient form of poetic discourse dating back to the 15th century, is now UNESCO-listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Madagascar.

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