February 2023

Zebu are extremely important animals in Madagascar and we saw them everywhere we went.

Zebu are a type of bovine, but unlike cows we have in the USA, these guys have a large hump between their shoulder blades. This special adaptation enables them to endure famine.

Every guide we met emphasized the importance of zebu to their tribes, although the exact nature of this importance varied.

In Nosy Be, Philippe told us that until recently, a man could not get married unless he could offer at least one zebu to his bride’s family in exchange. (Nowadays, money will do, as well.)

In Toamasina, Lachaka told us that in the southwest part of Madagascar, a man must steal a zebu before he can marry. (This theft is a ritual to prove his courage, and the zebu is returned to its rightful owner afterwards.)

Later, when Lachaka proudly told us that he owned two zebu, Larry teasingly asked if he had stolen them. Lachaka laughed and said, “No, no! Only in the southwest!”

Zebu don’t produce much milk. They are mostly used for labor and meat. They are a part of every major event here, from weddings, births, religious rites, funerals, and holidays.

I apologize that my zebu photos aren’t the best. As we passed them pulling carts on the roads, the windows of our rattletrap van were so cracked and dirty that photographing anything was a challenge.

Even so, there were many intriguing sites whizzing by. Madagascar fascinates me!Read more