Lazaina Favorites

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Favorite thing: This is a village I used to pass through while commuting, as a scholar. 4 times a day, for many years... So many that I got used to see it as a village I pass through rather than a point of great interest. Still, my Mum showed us very early the historical site she knew and many know: the tomb of a well-known Christian martyr, the late Ranivo (asa "Ranivo Maritiora"). In fact, I suspect it was the location of her tomb in this village that got the latter known to the Man-in-the-street.

However, strolling in the area, you would notice it is not the average rural village of Tana, let alone of Madagascar. In the past, most houses used to be traditional, style and richness in ornaments getting along with the prestige and wealth of their owners. To the peasants from slave origin, the small mud huts, thatched roof. To the wealthier peasants, mostly from noble or freemen origin, landowners-cum-farmers, a more sophisticated style. Either mud-walled & thatched-roof one-storey narrow houses either similar houses with more modern materials: brick-walled, tiled-roof, painted white or carmin. Then, the most prestigious have their houses in brick, tiled-roof, one or two-storey but with a remarkable style, richer details. It is the category in which falls the house of Rabeony. He was a Royal Army Officer in the 19th century...

Lazaina has many of the ancient sophisticated houses (trano gasy), be they belongings to wealthy peasants or to prestigious persons. (picture 2)

That is the historical village of Lazaina. But the Lazaina of nowadays has another part that houses villas and big domains. Some of the villas are visible from the principal artera, others not. Big domains are nestled in the valley of Lazaina with tennis courts, swimming pool, other sport facilities. Still, it is not a residential area. Most of those villas have been there since the 70s (or even before).

Fondest memory: While living in urban Tana & building our then summer house that has turned out to be our first house in Malaza, it is not unusual that we had a stop over Lazaina. To pick goyava from goyava trees near the Ranivo maritiora tomb & in the nearby. To have a stroll because it was already some opportunity to breath the fresh air.

That was in the 70s... before we moved to the "summer house"
Wild fruits available everywhere