Talk:History of Madagascar

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Over 165 million years ago, a terrible earthquake hit Africa, causing Madagascar to become an island.

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In section "Independence" there is stated:

A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a constitution in 1959 and full independence on June 26, 1960. During 1992-1993, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule.

Just asking: is there something missing? What about the 17 years of single-party rule? What was the name of the party? Who was the leader? How they became to power? Was this period influented by communism or Soviet regime? ---lulu- 10:17, 4 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the original Malagasy

If, as the article states, the first people who came to Madagascar where from South East Asia, why does it then say that Malagasy features are a mixture of Austronesian and African? does this not imply an African substrate that inhabited the island before the coming of Austronesians? Who exactly was there first?

There's debate, but it was widely theorized Africans came afterward and intermixed. East Africa was full of trading Swahili states so some of them may have came. Also some Malagasy natives engaged in slave trading. As is though this article on history is meagre at best. There's nothing on the paralyzed king who was carried by his bodyguards or the great, and sometimes terrible, Queens of Madagascar. I made a reference to one on starting a draughts category and was going to look them up to refresh my memory, only to find they aren't here. The coverage of Africa at Wiki could really stand to be better. Although in fairness Merina royalty have impossibly long names. One significant one was named Andriananampoinamerina and he was by no means the longest name among them.

Alas though it's been years since I wrote that book review on Madagascar's history and I no longer have it on file. Maybe they already have stuff on Ranavalona I and I just missed it.--T. Anthony 11:39, 24 September 2005 (UTC) Yup they do.--T. Anthony 11:54, 24 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] A Quick Revision

I decided to remove this paragraph:

"These Austronesians, with their Austronesian language and modified Austronesian culture, were already established on Madagascar by the time it was first visited by Europeans, in 1500. This strikes me as the single most astonishing fact of human geography for the entire world. It’s as if Columbus, on reaching Cuba, had found it occupied by blue-eyed, blond-haired Scandinavians speaking a language close to Swedish, even though the nearby North American continent was inhabited by Native Americans speaking Amerindian languages. How on earth could prehistoric people from Borneo, presumably voyaging on boats without maps or compasses, end up in Madagascar?"

I removed it because it reeks of original research, it's completely irrelevant, and doesn't make any damn sense. Colombus didn't meet Scandinavian people in Cuba, I don't know where this guy got his info.

This is not original research, but a quote from Jared Diamond. I'm restoring, with citations. Griot 00:38, 1 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Democratic Republic

On Madagascar's coins, the name "Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy" appears between 1978 and 1992 but this name isn't mentioned in the article. When was it officially used?
Dove1950 (talk) 21:14, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

"Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy" was the official name of the country during the second republic, roughly 1975 to 1991 in the first republic it was "Repoblika Malagasy" (Malagasy Republic) in the third republic it is "Repoblikan'i Madagasikara" (Republic of Madagascar) Fanoman (talk) 01:41, 10 June 2008 (UTC)