Wednesday, June 10, 2015

A Love Song


Malagasy Independance Day is coming up on the 26th of this month. I am sure there will be more on that later. But, for now, I wanted to share with you the love song to Madagascar that is the National Anthem. Many schools have the students sing the anthem regularly, so as a teacher I experience it often.

First, here is a link to the whole song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfcr5f6_Crw

Here are the lyrics in Malagasy. You can try to follow along as you listen above.

Ry Tanindraza nay malala ô
Ry Madagasikara soa.
Ny fitiavanay anaotsy miala,
Fa ho anao ho anao doria tokoa.

CHORUS:
Tahionao ry Zanahary
'Ty No sindrazanay ity
Hiadana sy ho finaritra
He sambatra tokoa izahay.

Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô
Irinay mba hanompoan'anao
Ny tena sy fo fanahy anananay 'zay sarobidy
Sy mendrika tokoa.

Chorus

Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô
Irinay mba hitahian' anao,
Ka Ilay Nahary 'zao ton tolo izao
no Fototra ijoroan, ny satanao.

Second, here are the lyrics in English.

Oh, Our beloved Fatherland
Oh good Madagascar.
Our love for you will not leave,
For you, for you for ever.

CHORUS:
Bless you, oh Creator
This island of our ancestors
To live in peace and joy
Hey! We are truly blessed.

Oh our beloved Fatherland
We wish to serve you with
The body and heart, spirit that is ours,
You are precious and truly deserving.

Chorus

Oh our beloved Fatherland
We wish that you will be blessed,
So that the Creator of this world
Will be the foundation of your laws.

Chorus

Third, here is a clip of the teachers at Semafi singing and singing the anthem.



My favorite part of the song is:

"Irinay mba hanompoan'anao,
Ny tena sy fo fanahy anananay 'zay sarobidy
Sy mendrika tokoa."

"We wish to serve you with
The body and heart, spirit that is ours,
You are precious and truly deserving."

I grow to love this country more and more everyday. I am grateful for an anthem that can even begin to sum that up.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Celebrating 130 Years

This year, my church is celebrating it's 130th anniversary. This is cause for many celebrations.

The main part of the celebrations happened this past Sunday.

In the morning, church went on mostly as usual but with a few extra awards to make it last a full four hours from 8-12.

But, after lunch is when the real celebrations began. After church, the choir (myself included) moved quickly to the almost completed social hall that the church is building where rice and loaka was waiting for us to eat quickly so we could continue on to the concert we were supposed to be performing at. Before church, I had no idea of the plan for the day. I only knew that I was supposed to bring my choir t-shirt a bright colored skirt and t-shirt and my choir robe.

When we got to the event space I realized that the event we were performing at was a luncheon fundraiser for my church. There was lunch, auction, dancing and choirs.

Here are some pictures from the day:

Elina and I dressed in Betsileo (the tribe in Fianar) attire for one of the songs we sang. 

More Betsileo attire!


The event space with some choir members waiting to perform.



More of the choir waiting to perform.

Lanto and Lucille ready to sing!


Me with the newest member of Solofin'i Davida! The baby of two choir members. 
Also, don't mind the gauze on my hand....I fractured my finger a few weeks ago, but no need to worry!

Two other little choir members, Toky and Kanto!


More choir members looking very Betsileo.


I got gifts! One of the orginizers of the event said that since I knew how to dance the Betsileo dance, he would give me a t-shirt and hat! Also, you can still see the remaining bits of my red cheeks from my special Betsileo make-up!

Our outfits for another song we sang.