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| FamadihanaI changed the whole itinerary and plane tickets so that we could be in Madagascar in August so we could potentially see Famadihana (turning of the ancestral bones ceremony).
Here is a synopsis about Famadihana from someone who lives in Mahajanga. I hope Vivian can help us select the the best lambahoany for our spirits.
Famadihana happens during the day and the ceremony usually continues through the night. If you go to Marovoay or Mahajanga you will hear a loud music around. It is famadihana. You can go to a cemetery to see what people do there during the famadihana. There is a different between coastal regions and inland regions. In Mahajanga and Marovoay areas the bones of a died person must be taken from a tomb and be brought to his home origin. In the inland bones must be taken out of the tomb to be covered with new cloth and be returned to the tomb again. The ceremony is the same. Be free to go to a cemetery where famadihana takes place. Cover with “lambahoany” a low part of your body to honor the ceremonies. You will be allowed to be there if you wear “lambahoany”, especially in Mahajanga and Marovoay.
I hope you will enjoy to see famadihana.
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| Typical EmailI wake up at around 7AM each morning. I try to read the morning paper. I get almost done with it, then the curiosity takes over.
What email is in my in box already?
Today's:
I've got a collection of drawings by children (mostly 5, 6 year olds) with some fun hand prints (in paint) and will be putting them in a notebook for you. The class is at my friend's daughter's pre-school so I at least got 2 images of Madison to go in the notebook as well. Just got images ready to print tonight...which is now morning and if all goes well I will have the book complete by Monday pm and Tuesday at the very latest. How could I bring the book to you on Tuesday after 5:30pm? Just give me an address or directions and I'll make it work. As this little project comes together I am very happy to be able to give it to you to bring on this next step in your journey.
Many, many people are sending things to take to Madagascar.
We all want to be involved.
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| The JournalistVivian McInerny. Pick up any issue of The Oregonian and you will most likely find an article regarding fashion from Vivian.
She attends (and covers) the New York City Fashion Week every year. Three weeks ago she had no idea she would be getting on a plane toward Madagascar.
And, alas, she has house guests all this week - thus, no time to find a picture from her archives for this blog.
Stay tuned for more on Vivian!
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| The PhotographerMe?
I have an insatiable curiosity. And I am intensely visual.
What more can I say?
I will speak more to you at my website.
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| The DoctorShe's Dutch and grew up living in many different countries, which has left her with a taste for travel.
And the more she travels to developing countries the more she has become aware of the inequities in health care worldwide.
"It seems that the places where doctors are most needed they are least found...Participating in this trip and exploring health care in Madagascar I hope to highlight some of these inequities and inspire others to help change this .... We will be setting up a fund to help sponsor women entering the health care field in Madagascar with the hope that they can help fulfill the incredible need for health care providers. We will concentrate on women because women tend to stay closer to their community when they are trained. Seeing trained female health care providers will inspire other girls to go to school and enter the health care field. The more women are educated the smaller their family size is...which is crucial in a country such as Madagascar where 45% of the population is less than 15 years old....."
Her travel interests include wildlife conservation, international reproductive health and women’s health, local food production, and environmental degradation.
For fun she rides her horse, hikes, cross country skis, cooks, eats food and plays scrabble.
I wonder how she will feel when she sees the cow sacrifice ceremony? Will she eat the meat? Will she drink the Malagasy "spirits"?
What do you think?
Here's Dr. Philippa Ribbink:
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