Today is Independence Day in Madagascar. It is the National Day of Madagascar and marks the country’s independence from France in 1960.
Madagascar is a complicated country. It was first settled by austronesian people arriving from the area of Indonesia. Then Bantu people arrived from Africa, Arabs from the Arabian peninsula and traders/immigrants from India.
In the early 19th century, Madagascar was united and ruled as the Kingdom of Madagascar. Seen as a key strategic location by both France and Britain, France invaded Madagascar in 1883, eventually removing the monarchy and quashing resistance and imposing colonial rule in 1897. The Malagasy Republic was proclaimed on October 14th 1958, as an autonomous state within the French Community. Soon after a constitution was adopted in 1959 and full independence as the Republic of Madagascar was gained on June 26th 1960.
today is the birthday, in 1942, of Larry Taylor, bassist with American rock band Canned Heat. Two of their songs ‘Going Up the Country’ and ‘On the Road Again’ became international hits. He died on 19 August 2019 age 77. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBhpiUFSYWI
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