Glossary
These are words frequently used throughout the journal and in some pictures.
- 4x4
- Short term for a four wheel drive jeep (pronounce "quatre-quatre", "cut-cut" in English).
- Baobab
- A typical Malagasy tree which looks like it was turned upside down with the roots pointing up.
- Djembe
- An African type of hand drum. Not very typical for Madagascar, actually.
- Famadihana
- A big and important Malagasy celebration in which the deceased are moved from one tomb to another.
- Lemur
- The cutest monkeys in the world, only exist in Madagascar and in zoos.
- Pirogue
- A canoe-like means of transportation, made out of a big log. Very shaky and scary on rivers with crocodiles.
- R4
- Renault 4: The most common type of taxi in Madagascar.
- Sisal
- A plant used to make strings. Has somewhat lost its importance with the popularity of plastic strings.
- Taxi-brousse
- The "bush taxi", usually taken to travel long distances. There are many types, from the widespread Renault 504 to huge trucks.
- Tsingy
- Interesting rock formations found in some reserves in Madagascar.
- Vazaha
- The Malagasy word for "white man". Probably the most frequently heard word by tourists.
- Zebu
- The Malagasy cattle, hump-backed, providing very little milk and meat but almost outnumbering the Malagasy population. Near-sacred to the Malagasy and generally only eaten at ceremonies.