Day Sixteen - Happy Anniversary MFG!

I didn’t get much sleep last night because some of the elders (known as Tangalamena) from the local community were staying in the hut next to the bungalow. They were talking and singing into the early hours (fortified with local rum I suspect). They were here because today they were to be involved in a special community event called a Joro, to celebrate the MFG’s 25^th anniversary. A lunchtime feast of zebu (a type of bull) was to be shared by the MFG members, staff and the entire local community.
The MFG annual meeting started this morning and all the presentations were very interesting and inspiring. The MFG has made a DVD to celebrate the 25^th anniversary and we were all given a copy to bring back to our institutions. Ingrid gave an update on the breeding programmes for greater bamboo lemurs, blue-eyed black lemurs and black and white ruffed lemurs. The Madagascar Ministry for Environment and Forests is keen to support participation in global breeding programmes and has been working with the MFG to develop skills in Malagasy zoos in animal care and record keeping. Ivoloina Zoo is playing an important role in maintaining genetically healthy captive populations. It also provides homes for animals that have been confiscated from people keeping them illegally. The MFG has renewed an agreement with the University of Antananarivo to support the training of students in veterinary medicine.
 

At the end of the morning a group of colourful musicians arrived outside the training centre, accompanied by two dancers wearing lemur costumes. They sang and danced for us then led the delegates down the track to the zoo entrance, where the first part of the anniversary celebrations was to take place. The whole local community had turned out for the occasion and there was a great sense of excitement. Each person was given a lamba - a type of sarong - printed with scenes from MFG projects and many people put them on straight away, tying them around their waists.

                                        

 

Local dignitaries gave speeches, then a ribbon was cut at the entrance of the zoo and everyone poured in to see the unveiling of a statue, especially commissioned to mark the 25^th anniversary. The statue was created by the MFG intern, Jana, and it was lovely: a ruffed lemur, cast in aluminium, and mounted on a plinth.

By this time tummies were rumbling and we all followed the musicians down to the picnic area, where the Joro feast was ready. It is the tradition to use no man-made utensils for these feasts so the tables were covered with ravenala leaves and smaller leaves were used as plates. There was a big heap of rice and tender braised zebu meat at intervals down the table. Broth from the cooking pots was served in bamboo drinking vessels and we were all shown how to make spoons from a leaf. Plastic cups and spoons were available if required but I think that almost everyone used the traditional utensils. It was a joyous party and such a privilege to be taking part.

 

Afterwards there were lots of group photographs taken and the villagers, all proudly wearing their lambas, were taken for a tour of the zoo. I am sure that the day will be remembered and talked about fondly for many years to come.

 

In the afternoon the meeting moved to the education centre, where Head of Education Nirina gave a fascinating presentation about the inspirational work carried out by his team. In the past year 300 primary-aged children have taken part in the Saturday School programme at Ivoloina and in the area around Betampona. In addition, secondary school students have been trained as ‘Green Ambassadors’ as part of a community outreach programme and teachers have received professional development training in environmental education. Nirina is keen to evaluate the impact of the programmes so he asked if I could help him to develop a robust evaluation system. We arranged to meet up to discuss this before I go back to the UK.

The meeting delegates met for dinner at the Darafifi hotel in the evening. I had so enjoyed the food at lunchtime that I had a steaming plate of traditional zebu stew. It was delicious. Durrell Wildlife’s conservation manager in Madagascar, Richard Lewis, told us about some of his work and shared some pretty horrific stories about the illegal trade in Malagasy tortoises. These are destined mainly for the Asian market and the trade is fast pushing these endangered reptiles to the precipice of extinction.
On our ride back to Ivoloina that night the road was the busiest I had seen it. People from miles around were bringing truckloads of litchis to the export plants and temporary food stalls had sprung up along the roadside to provide them with sustenance while they waited their turn. The exporters have strict quotas which they are not allowed to exceed so everyone is becoming desperate to make sure their load is accepted. The frantic atmosphere is known locally as litchi fever and it is likely to get worse before it gets better! It was quite a relief to get back to Ivoloina and a nice cup of tea before bed.