In Madagascar the school finals are in August. And also in Madagascar pupils need to let off steam. So they did. How? Of course with music!
Hundreds came to Centre Lambahoany on Sunday 25 August to celebrate their freedom with hiphop, reggae and rap. The artists did their best to entertain the public. The sun was shining, the music was good, the public lively and happy. Could it be any better?
Centre Lambahoany is situated in the heart of Toamasina city.
Our centre has 7 bungalows, a bar, a large garden and often there are cultural activities organised, such as music, dancing and art.
Sunday afternoon 11 December the past was brought to live at Centre Lambahoany. No less than eight groups of young rockers performed. It was a surprise that this music has so many followers in Toamasina, who with boundless energy sang, played, danced and jumped. The large crowd was young and just as enthusiastic. When the group NOCTURNAL was on stage they tried to besiege the stage, as if the sixties revived at Centre Lambahoany. A marvellous afternoon made possible by the organisation of young artists of Sylvain Rakoto.
MIVEHY consists of four nice, talented, young boys from Toamasina. They play beautiful music, inspired by the Malagasy musical traditions, that touched the heart strings of the audience that listened breathlessly on Friday evening 2 December at Centre Lambahoany. For the time being it is their last performance in Toamasina. They’ll try their luck in the capital Antananarivo. We wish them every success!
And then Rola Gamana was welcomed at Centre Lambahoany. As part of his tour of Madagascar he called in at Toamasina and Centre Lambahoany appeared to be the best place for his concert. This innovator uses all kinds of materials to build his instruments and thus to make music: bamboo, calabashes, seeds, even a bucket of water. He is very involved with respect to the endangered Malagasy nature. His music is different even a little mystic. The public was very quiet and some were even moved to tears.
Friday 23 September many different lambahaony’s were to be admired at Centre Lambahoany. Dosy and Lucienne had organised an evening with different groups all dressed in multicoloured lambahoany’s.
Traditional instruments, traditional music, traditional clothing and traditional dance, including spinning with a bottle filled with water on the head! Acting out traditional life (planting rice, harvesting rice, pounding rice, eating rice) completed that part of the evening. Next Dosy and Lucienne proved they are not only good at organising but also have good singing voices.
Rap, R&B, Reggae en Roots, the ingredients of a sparkling show created by the two Rasta’s from Mahajanga, that rocked Centre Lambahoany. The local artist Shao Boana had already loosened up the audience, and with Mirajeky they could really go crazy. One swaying mass of happy youngsters, joining in the singing, underneath a starry sky was the result.
The organisation, Association des Jeunes Organisateurs de Tamatave, had found two major sponsors for the event: Skol, the new Malagasy brand of beer, and Orange the telephone company. They most certainly will not regret their sponsoring.
The weekend of 13-14 of August, Centre Lambahoany was host to the VAKOKA GASY traditional dance and music festival. Several groups performed different kinds of music and dance from several parts of Madagascar. One group of dancers after the other mounted the stage, dressed in lambahoany’s, did their best, accompanied by accordion, valiha and djembé. A less traditional rapper also did his share. That sounds great in Malagasy! the public came in large numbers and enjoyed it to the full.
On June 26th Madagascar celebrates its independence. It is also the beginning of the school holidays. On the eve of the 26th there is a traditional display of fireworks.
For the first time there was also a roaring party at Centre Lambahaony. All secondary schools were invited to have their talented students perform at Centre Lambahoany. It was a tremendous success. All morning different martial arts groups showed their skills. Well known martial arts were represented, like Karate, Tae Kwando, Poekoelan, Capoeira and Kick boxing, but also two Malagasy Kung Fy styles: Kung Fu Kudo Washi and Kung Fu Ga Ma Ka.
At 3 o’clock p.m. the music- and dance groups mounted the stage. Many different styles of music could be heard, rock, punk but also traditional Malagasy music and dance. It was a good atmosphere all day long. Everyone applauded for all the artists, also – especially – those from other schools. The disco afterwards lasted till the early hours.
For three days the Centre Lambahoany domain of the national radio station RTA.
Starting at 7:30 in the morning several local music groups and bands made an appearance to play and give interviews. The recordings will be broadcasted nationwide all week. Many of the musicians had already performed at Centre Lambahoany and in the interviews the name of the Centre was often mentioned.
Although silence was required as not to disturb the recordings, those at the Centre could enjoy all kinds of music, from SLAM to rock, from traditional music from different parts of the country to church choirs with religious songs.
By now the RTA crew has returned to Antananarivo, tired and satisfied and the Tamatave music is a little better known.
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