Madagascar is the most beautiful and varied country I've ever visited in Africa--the land, the people, the culture. And that's saying a lot coming from someone who has traveled in Africa for over 15 years to some two dozen countries.

It's friday morning of Easter weekend. We are in Tulear on the southwest coast. We left Tana Sunday morning and my mind is reeling with all the things we've seen and done. Madagascar is one big wake up call to the senses. I feel very alive.

Just the land itself...the vivid yellow-green rice fields elaborately tucked into terraced hillsides, past people cutting rice in the paddies and thrashing it on hillsides, through valleys dominated by massive granite escarpments, across grasslands that look like East Africa, hiking into Isalo National Park with its Southwest looking rock, descending into the dry country dotted with Boabob trees.

I felt like I was witnessing a different century. The phrase "Planet Madagascar" rings true.

After an intense Hiragasy group performed in Tana on Sunday, we drove to Ansirabe. The "music hunting" (as Hanitra likes to say) planned that evening took us out into the bush. Our destination: kabosy village. As our Toyota 4x4 Land Cruisers navigated a deeply rutted track, the full moon rose over the ridge. No electricity out here. We arrived to a big cheer from the village kids and walked through the cornfields to the place they make the kabosey (also called "mandolin" elsewhere in the country) Three young guys played kabosey for us. And granny danced with her grandaughter as the Afropoppers shined flashlights on the happy scene.

Back in town four groups were waiting for us at the local Alliance Francaise. An amazing brass group called Tongarivo featuring seven clarinets and seven trumpets and two marching band drums played. It was so loud! I heard New Orleans. The singer songwriter Bekoto who has written much of Mahaleo's material also performed as did a virtuosic roots guitarist by the name of Jauvin.

The next day, we walked through farmlands near Ambalavao to visit of kabosy family. The headman was named Rapapa. He played an ancient looking accordeon, and his teenage son and young daughters also performed.

The afternoon's destination was the village of Antoetra, home of the Zafimaniry people. They do a special music there called Zafindraony, a women's a capela singing. We walked for an hour or so down the dirt road to town. Along the way, farmers waved, and children ran up to say hello and giggle. Very gentle people. I like the sound of their laughter. The kids look healthy here. Bright eyed.

The final leg of the trip, we rejoin our jeeps for a trip through eucalyptus forests to the village of Antoetra set on a hill overlooking two valleys. The Head Woman, Ramaria, bosses the group of 40 or so women in her choir and they sing this most beautiful close harmonies. I hear the Malagasy word for Jesus. Hanitra says they have recently changed their repertoire to a mostly religous one. This is a very poor place. The kids here do not look so healthy.

We arrive late to the highland town of Fionarantsoa at a wonderful little hotel called the Tsara Guest House.

We look at each other--tired but amazed we've seen and experienced so much in just two days! Hanitra has done an amazing job organizing so much music in advance for us. And unplanned musical surprises keep happening too.

More details to come. I have to dash to our convoy heading north for two days of R&R at a beach village.

- Sean Barlow

Click to see past dispatches:
First Dispatch and images
Second Dispatch and images

Contributed by: Sean Barlow