You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Streets of Tana' category.
I was in a bus, stuck in a traffic. And when I wanted to watch from the window, I saw this so sad picture. Two ladies were carelessly washing their clothes with dirty water from a conduit. And look around them, only trashes and dirt.
The title of this post is inspired from a book I used to read when I was a kid. Well, in this book we could see some pics taken in African countries showing the “misuse” of French language. “Docteur de chaussures malades” is an example of this. But finally, “shoemaker” won’t really help so I’ll keep on borrowing this – a lil funny – title 
With shoemaker you may think of a man who makes shoes… Here, he doesn’t make them… He repairs them!
New shoes are expensive for many families nowadays so other options are offered to them: either they buy second hand shoes or they will try to keep their “old” shoes as long as possible by bringing them once, twice, or even more to our “Sick shoes doctor” like Ra-Noré on the pic above. For 7 years now, he has worked on a corner of the streets in my neighborhood. See, he was even repairing a boot when I stopped by.
Oh my goodness! I have been assaulted by a pickpocket this evening. It was 6.30 p.m. It started to be dark yet the streets were crowded. In Analakely, I stopped by a streetseller to buy some mangoes. While bargaining, someone touched my shoulder, for a second I thought it was someone I know… but suddenly, this person pulled my ears violently. When I turned back, I saw a guy running and disappearing behind a shop. Then I understood that he wanted to rob my golden earings. Thank God, he could not get the earings. That happened so quick and it was so amazing that noone had noticed this act. (Actually, I did not yell)
I had to meet my husband at the bus station, though the way was dark and quiet so I was afraid to go there alone in case the guy was still following me. I then called my husband from a taxi phone to pick me up. People there could hear me telling my misadventure. Then, they said that it was not safe to be around this place in evenings, they have witnessed some other cases of assaults these last days. And I said, how come??? My earings were not even big!!! But the lady said that gold are expensive now and since there are these buyers in Analakely, those pickpockets become more and more dangerous.
Tahina and I wanted to take a pic of those “buyers of gold” all along the sidewalks near Lycée JJ Rabearivelo but we believed that it was not safe so we gave up. If you go by this place you will see cars parking there with the right side doors opened. As you will pass by, you will not miss them asking wether you have gold to sell with you. I am wondering if the authority may someday react to such situation because this really increase the insecurity in Analakely and surroundings.
By the way, I am thinking of selling my earings to them now to avoid wearing them and being attacked again because next time I may not be luckier. [joke 
]
Rakotonanahary is the name of the guy on the pic above. His job is to repair pots, buckets, or any items made with steel or aluminium. And during rainy seasons, he also repairs umbrellas.
He is married and have two children who are both at school. He lives in Alarobia – 3 or 4 kilometers from where I met him. And every day for more than 10 years now, he is leaving home early in the morning, with his tools, moving from neighborhood to neighborhood – doing sometimes more than 10 kilometers a day – trying to find pots to repair.
On the video below, he is repairing a cup with a hole for 200 Ariary. “If I am lucky, I find 10 customers a day or even more”, Rakotonanahary said “but sometimes, only 4″.
He has learnt this job from his elder brother and they both fixed the tools he is using now by themselves. “Uh…. [smile]… I never thought of doing something else… I’ll keep this job”. This is how he answered when I wanted to know if he liked his job.
One night, my friends and I were hanging out and had a lot of fun. At around 4.00 a.m., we decided that it was high time to go home. On our way home, we still felt so happy cuz of the great evening we had together. We laughed, we listened to great music… Suddenly, this happiness turned bitter cuz I noticed poor people sleeping on the sidewalks near tunnels. I felt so sad though powerless in front of such picture. I have to tell you that we are now in winter in Madagascar and on that morning we all felt so cold.
I asked my friend to stop the car so I could take one or two photos of these poor people. I wanted to share this poverty to people who do not feel comfortable enough with what they have. What you see in these pics are not dead people, they are poor homeless people who have to take a rest facing this so hard life. For their bed, they gather all plastic bags, newspapers or old clothes that you and I throw in the streets or in trash bins.
A little brick house in Countryside Vs. a little wooden house in the Capital City
The situation above makes me remember a story I read in a book. This story talked about a little family who had a little brick house and a peace of land in countryside of Antananarivo. The little house had only one room where were the bedrooms and the kitchen at the same time. They had one cow and a few chickens. They had a little rice field and planted a few vegetables. The crops and the milk were their resources.
One day, the father decided to sell the cow and the chickens because he wanted to bring his family downtown and see the so called Capital City. This father believed that life would be beautiful once they would arrive in the big city.
Few days later, the family arrived in town. They came and see an uncle who already lived in Antananarivo. The father and the little family were astonished once they saw where this uncle lived: in a little house made with wood and plastics. Well, the father who was really courageous and motivated, invited his little family to fix a little wooden house near the uncle’s and said that this would be the beginning of a new life and a brighter future.
The father helped the uncle driving rickshaws; the mother became a laundress and the kids picked up all bottles and plastic bags in trash bins for resell. Most of the time, it was hard to find money to survive because jobs were so rare but the father convinced the family to stay because this would be only a start for a great life in a very near future. Years after, their financial situation and life conditions worsened and the children missed their little room of the countryside but the father did not want to leave “his” Capital City.
To start with, English speaking countries and French ones don’t celebrate Mother’s day on the same day. This year, Francophone countries, like Madagascar, celebrates it on Sunday June 7th.
This Mother’s day is the sadest in my life cuz it’s the first one I don’t have my lovely Mom beside me and I especially miss her so much. If she was there, I am sure that the 3 of us would make a great surprise for her aswe used to but she’s not here.
No more tears. Mom taught us to be always happy and strong whatever may happen in our life.
I was with friends hanging out downtown this saturday and it was really hard to cross the wall of people who were trying to find the best gift for their mothers.The sidewalks were completely crowded of sellers and, of course, Mother’s gifts buyers 
.When everyone turned their eyes on what the people we met had bought (flowers, paintings, bags, sandals, sweaters, …), I was attracted by another business, afterall all festivities turn around business and marketing nowadays (Valentine’s day, Christmas, and stuff). There were a lot of people who got this idea: wrapping gift. They knew that a lot of customers will need such service after choosing a gift. They were ready with some boxes already nicely wrapped with different colors and sizes. And this part time job got success. The time I took the pics, it was already 7.00 p.m.
On saturday, I was a little bit late downtown. I was estonished seeing the market late in the evening.
What attracted me the most was this.
huh… I did not mean the sausages looool, look at the candle!!
Yes, the candle is covered with newspaper. Fold a sheet of newspaper, wrap up the candle with it. Doing so will help you have candle light for more than two hours. Clever!
Curious people
4.55 p.m., I was down the stairs of Antaninarenina when I saw 2 trucks of firefighters. Suddenly, I heard people screaming then turned my head to the Esplanade Analakely, I could see smoke from… I was not sure until I came nearer… I could see smoke from a Gargote.
Normally, I used to think that running and gathering to see what’s happening was silly, though today, automatically, I run while trying to take out my camera (watching around if doing so was safe ). Arrived at the burning wreckage, the crowd had already surrounded the place, disturbing the firefighters. They angrily instructed these people to move back. As I talked to a responsible, I could come nearer the zone and take some pics.
Firefighter in action
Quickly, the firefighters opened the Gargote, pulled their big pipes and watered the room on fire. The led-firefighter calmed down the curious people around, there was noone inside, only materials. Everything in the little gargote was burnt and destroyed: table, chairs, plates, …
Damaged materials
What interested everyone as well was to know the source of the fire. A young lady who is working at the Gargote, on her way home, was called by the neighbors and came back to see the damage. Another lady, the owner, also arrived. I tried to talk to them and asked what may have caused the fire. They pretended not to know, though the proof was there, the firefighters discovered a charcoal fire.
The source of the fire
Fortunately, the firefighters were on time, if not the whole block would have been set on fire.
Such case of frogotten fire charcoal or candles has already destroyed many homes and killed several people in Madagascar. I sincerely hope that, at least the crowd who were present today, would be more cautious in future.
Every day, from the windows of my office, I could notice people gathering around a guy but was always too busy to come down and see what was going on there.
Saturday, my friends and I passed by the park of Antaninarenina and finally could understand. In fact, people were surrounding a portrait painting, Faliharison, at work.
- Faliharison, a portrait painting
- Faliharison at work, doing the portrait of a little girl
- A work of Faliharison
Faliharison is now working on the alley in the middle of the park of Antaninarenina from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. I sincerely advise you to come, a portrait painting costs only 5,000 Ariary and takes 30 to 60 minutes to realize.
Monday, I passed by Rarihasina at Analakely and was attracted by this parasol where portraits were hanged up. I decided to come nearer to see the beauty of the works and I could not restrain myself to talk to the responsible.
His name is Mahery and he is a portrait painter.
Mahery told that when he was only a child, his relatives were already convinced that he was exceptionally good at drawing.
In 2002, Mahery decided to sign up for some training at the Cercle Germano-Malagasy ( German Cultural Center) to improve his know-how.
Mahery’s first customers met him in an art gallery, Gasik’Art Creation at Ambondrona. Since December 2008, Mahery has decided to go nearer the public and after several tries, now he has chosen to stay in front of Rarihasina at Analakely from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
From 2002 to 2008, Mahery made different paintings from landscapes to portraits. For he has discovered that malagasy people were more interested in portraits, Mahery then prefers to deal only with this.
There are two kinds of portraits:
- For the “portrait minutes“, the person sits to be the model. This portrait can be realized within 30 minutes. A 24X32 cm of portrait costs 12,000 Ariary.
- Mahery can also make a copy of a picture. This one is more expensive with a minimum price of 40,000 Ariary for this kind of portrait can take 24 hours to realize.
Mahery has already make portraits of famous Malagasy singers and actors such as Rolf, Honorat (of Fohy Hehy), Aina Quach, Kaliba…
The tool that Mahery mostly use is pastel but can use pencils or paints as well.
Mahery confided that portrait painting is enough to make him live. He said that Malagasy people are more and more interested in arts and in portrait paintings; nevertheless, they are not yet conscious of the real value of an art and most of the time find it expensive. “We, artists, would dream of a special place devoted for us to work and to exhibit our arts”, added Mahery.
Mahery believes that being gifted is not enough, he would like to go abroad to get more knowledge about this domain. While waiting for this chance, he is sharing his skill to youngsters from 14 to 20.
To contact Mahery, you can join him directly in front of Rarihasina at Analakely or call him through the numbers (+261) 033 08 026 80 or (+261) 032 40 820 33 or email him at maherjer@yahoo.fr
Recent Comments