Madagascar: The Legendary Roads of the Red Island

It's in the heart of these limestone cathedrals, the Tsingyabimuraha Park, in landscapes from another age, that I've begun my exploration of this lost world, Madagascar. Oh boy, I swear it looks like Jurassic Park. What does Tsingy mean? Tsingy means tiptoeing around. That's what we're doing. Exactly. Tsingy. Tsingy. In the beginning, it was a great continent called Gondwana. The big island broke away from it hundreds of millions of years ago, and this isolation has forged the extraordinary nature of Madagascar. Armand, can you explain the formation of Tsingys? 200 million years ago, the sea went all the way to here. Dead corals and shells piled up, then knitted together and turned into limestone. Then the sea retreated. And it's the rain, the drops, that shaped the limestone over the years? Yes. Imagine this stone maze a thousand years ago. This is a magical place. This is unique in the world. Yeah. Yes. The lemurs were giants, hippos were dwarves, and crocodiles had horns. I'm going to go back in time in pursuit of that grandiose nature of the origins. Huge, wild, mysterious. My search for the lost world will take me through steep canyons, impenetrable jungles, and burning deserts. And to help me on my quest, I can count on the Malagasy, those big-hearted men and women who still live in tune with the elements. Embarking on a journey through the ages, off to the lost world. Nice holiday, Amada, in the dry season. A brief return to civilization in the tumult of Tana, the capital. There, I meet Nathaniel, who will escort me on this adventure. Good morning, Zo. Salama. Hello. Good morning. I'm Zo. I'll be your driver for your trip. Antananarivo. And my time travel is going to take me through the highlands. I'll discover troubling ancestral beliefs, the depths of the Malagasy soul, and the fragility of nature. Departure at dawn. Our 4x4, now loaded, is launched on the country's main highway, the famous Route 7. High roads unveil endless rice fields. It's the deep countryside that I'm going to explore, in the region of Ansirabe. But the Malagasy food, excellent by the way, irritates my delicate western stomach. It's there on his back. It looks like he has a rash. It might be something he can't tolerate. How old is he? Six months, today. He can already swallow herbal tea, then. You make him laugh. Once he's washed, give him this. A spoon in the morning and in the evening. Bring in the Caucasian, it's his turn. Lift up your shirt, please. Eduard's appointment book is full, and I'm lucky to get in between two patients. Here, I cure all kinds of diseases. Whether it's a stomachache, liver trouble, if you can't eat, or even if you have diarrhea. That's what I'm treating here, with my knowledge of plants. And it's effective, it's good for a lot of people. Whether they're pregnant, whether they're elderly, or young. If they have diseases, I can cure them. See, the kind of disease where people fall down and then have spasms, where they do like this. What's the name again? Seizures, I think that's what you call them. We call it Andro-B, or Fanentona. If we get there in time, and they're still conscious, we can cure them, for real. It's from my parents, they taught me everything. I was still a kid, I was at school, but when I didn't have class, they'd tell me, let's go get some medicinal plants. We would go out into the fields, and they would explain to me what the remedies were for this or that disease. That's how I learned. Is this where it hurts? It's all right. That's where it hurts and gives you diarrhea. You go to the bathroom all the time. Obviously. We're going to give you a cure, and it's going to be okay. This right here, it cures the stomach. And this soothes the pain. You do it like this, with the bark added. No, you put it in your mouth. Drink up. It's not bad, just a bit dry. It won't hurt anymore, and you'll be healed. Thank you. After a few hours, the healer's remedy did me the greatest good. I'm sinking deeper and deeper into the countryside to discover this ethnic group of farmers, of their harsh lives from another time. Ever since I set foot on Madagascar, I've been hearing about ancestors, of spirits, of taboos. I need to see a little more clearly, trying to unravel the mysteries of Malagasy beliefs. To help me understand the spirituality of the Malagasy people, I can count on Sylvain. He's a fortune teller and knows the area inside out. The beliefs of the Mazimba are the base of Malagasy spirituality. Yes, it's the core thing. Here, we're more syncretic, which means a lot of people practice both religions, traditional religion and Christianity. I see. There are three levels of belief. God the creator, inherited from the great monotheistic religions. The ancestors whose spirits are omnipresent, and to whom the Malagasy people very often call upon. But also upon plants, animals or sacred places. This is one of the most animist sites that I discovered thanks to Sylvain. We welcome you here to Andronomondevi today. We are pleased to welcome you to our company. May God protect you and help you in all that you undertake. We're glad you got here safely. It's really a joy for our whole family that you're here. Thank you, gentlemen. Thanks to you. And may God help us all. If we are here today, it is to visit you and to discover the Malagasy traditions here in the mountains of Ankaratra. Today, in the heart of the highlands, the Malagasy people still up the thousand-year-old traditions inherited from the Vizimba, the first inhabitants of Madagascar. To honor these ancestors, an offering should be made to them. I've been carrying mine since this morning in that pretty bag. Does it need to be washed before offering it? Some come from far away and do not hesitate to walk for days to get here. Some come to ask for riches. Others ask for health. Some even come to ask for a husband, or to have children, or to ask for protection. Welcome all in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in the name of the ancestors, of the grandfather, and the grandmother, God the Creator. We are here to celebrate you and to honor you, for your memory is stamped in our minds. North to south, east to west, you who protect us, keepers of tradition. Well, here we are to pray and implore you, us, your children, and grandchildren. You, Dadabe, and you, Nenebe, and all our ancestors. Good blessing, good prayer. Drink well, drink well. What happened to our chicken then? We suffocate it in the sulfur springs. Then the animal breathes in the gas and dies. Be blessed in the name of this holy spring. That's what I ask you for him, spirit of the source. Hydrogen sulfide, which is released from the source, is a very harmful gas. It's by breathing this gas that the initiated people reach a state of trance. Lead him on gently. Here is the word of Ralaimeditra. In a higher state, they then manage to connect with the spirits of their ancestors. The stranger asks you, Grandpa, how is his trip going to go? So here it is. They will get to their goal safely on their way, whether it's by car or plane. Ralaimeditra says, like the white-headed Zebu, he's coming and leaving as well as he came. Yes, Grandfather, your word is sacred. That's why we're all standing here in front of you. For this is my word, prayers and blessings. I spray you with this sacred water. Grandpa, you are sacred. Malagasy beliefs have been transmitted since the dawn of time and the words of the ancestors guide me as I resume my quest for the lost world. The Malagasy people of the highlands cultivate this red soil relentlessly and some are going there to hunt treasures. I'm on my way down there. A hole 60 meters deep. Here we go. Easy, easy. 15 meters deep. Here come my friends. Like this. It's not easy. Go ahead. Come on. Come on. Come down. I'll film you. The three of us to the bottom. Let's go. Say something. Say hello. Here it's tough because it's slippery. Very, very slippery. You have to put your foot on the beam. Look at my foot. It's dirty. There's mud everywhere. Over there, there's water flowing. And then you have to keep going down. These are pipes to get the water out. Down like this because there are short circuits. So the workers can't work because if there's still water you can't work with water. I see the mud. That's the seam. This is what we're following. Some people risk their lives to go deep into the bowels of the earth in the hope of finding this stone. Tourmaline stone. A semi-precious stone that turns the heads of the locals. Hello. This is Alpha. It's Alpha. Smile. And this is Afadi. He's a good-looking guy. He's very handsome. And I, I'm Nicholas. I'm the one who's been talking since the beginning. And now it's over. Thank you. Thank you. You okay? There's four left. One for you. Yeah. Okay. Okay. For the kiddo. It's over. Get over it. Huge risk for a cigarette and that's it. This way I'll smoke less. This mine is lost in the hills. More than an hour's drive from Ansarabi, the nearest town. Mrs Narina is greeted like a rock star. Twice a week she brings cigarettes, rum, and their pay. She invested all her savings in this land and she has every intention of making a fortune. We're going to see the quarry. This is where it's happening? Yes. It's ours here. Here. There's plenty for everyone. You just have to share it. It's 12 euros to buy cigarettes or I don't know what the guys want. We want to eat meat. Okay. Whatever you like. This is Narina. It's payday. Yes. They need to eat a little meat. To buy cigarettes. A little bit of juice. There are about 30 of them. Husbands, wives, and children who work, sleep, and live here. This is for lunch. Is it? At noon they come out from the from the quarry to eat. They don't know what time it is down there. Really? Yes. So we call them to eat. Where are you, Nico? That's the mud coming out and there are some stones that come out with it. They're in the process of cleaning up the mud. Then they find little samples that they can sell at the market. They may have three euros a day for each of them. And is this lot for here? Yes. Here it's a lot. They're happy afterwards. Look. This is what we get back. A beautiful stone is flawless, transparent, and also with nice color. Red, green, polychromatic. So now you have tourmaline fever. Yes. That's why we're here. We're waiting for the jackpot. You didn't win it yet. Not yet, but we hope that we will soon. We are hopeful. I've touched Mrs Norena's dream. I'm on my way back, but I won't go faster than 30 kilometers an hour. Can you confirm we're on Route 7? Yes, we're on Route 7, a part of it. What an adventure. In the countryside overlooking the city of Fianna Ransoa, I meet a man who lives nearby. I'm Raelyn. And this little mother, what's her name? His name is Piero Men. Okay, Raelyn. Beautiful. What's your name? He is madly in love with his island and its people. No wonder Piero is an excellent photographer. He likes it very much. Yes, I like it a lot as well. And his pictures inspire me as I prepare for my journey. Here, I meet lovers of photography. They're here. They're everywhere. Whatever you like. Piero won't tell you gladly, but he has exhibited all over the world, published splendid books, and won many competitions. His modesty is only equaled by his talent. With a great space like that, the comings and goings of children, life comes and goes. Sometimes I do things while hanging out like this. That picture, for instance. It looks like they're happy. They're dancing. But what's there? In fact, there was a pipe that gave water to the town that broke. So, in those villages, there was no water at all. Not in their homes. So, they took advantage of it. See the children with their smiles and all that. They were happy. It was hot. They bathed in it. And for once, they had clean water. After that, they came to fix it and it was over. It was a fun time. But I really like this picture. The water that is truly essential to life. I think the most important thing for a country is its people, truly. That's the reason why I exhibit these people, these faces. Sometimes there is joy or sadness, anything. There is everything, but that's what makes Madagascar Madagascar. If a picture's worth a thousand words, a picture of Piero's is worth a lot more. Are you from Zambabwe? Yes. Are you just getting there now? Yeah. They all know me. They all have a picture I took of them. So, I know almost everyone. You know what they say, you only take good pictures of people you know well. Doing good? Hi there. How are you doing? Yeah, fine. You? Where are our pictures? Give us our pictures. Hey mom, put your flag down a little. Yeah, please sort it. When you put the flag down, it's beautiful. Are we good here? Let's go. Beautiful. Yes, perfect. Thank you. Do you have my picture from last time? Come back here, you. Hold on. Who's this here? Where are your pictures? I hope I didn't forget them. Shame on me. Here, it's beautiful. Feline is in it. It's Jacqueline. How about this one? It's my husband. Who's this? Piero, is it your love of photography that makes you take good pictures of the Malagasy? Or is it your love of Malagasy that makes good pictures? Of course, it's both. I always had a love of photography. I know how to make a good image. And then, when you're really into it, right into it, you have to like people to take good pictures of them. Otherwise, it doesn't work. If you don't like people, it's not worth it. It's not even worth trying. And because I know them well, we get along. And it's my mother's tongue. So, I can only show beauty because they're beautiful. For Piero, as long as there's some light, there are still pictures to be taken. Wait, stay there. Look at me. Beautiful, generous, united, cheerful. Piero opened my eyes to the depths of the Malagasy soul. It is at the expense of immense efforts that the Madagascans have managed to tame the elements. And over the centuries, they've completely changed the landscape of the highlands. But there are still some protected and preserved sanctuaries where the original nature of the island remains. I arrive in Ranomafana National Park to explore unique flora and fauna, the natural wonders of the lost world. Isolated for thousands of years, Madagascar has given birth to dozens of chameleon species. In the camouflage series, the leaf gecko also knows how to blend in perfectly with the decor. And this park is home to four times as many frog species than the whole of Europe. The ancestors of lemurs colonized Madagascar from the African coast 60 million years ago. Large or small, nocturnal or diurnal, they have slowly diversified to adapt to the different ecosystems of the island. Today, there are about 100 species. The golden lemur is the rarest of them all. There are only 400 left in the wild. I am very lucky being able to admire this animal, which was only discovered in 1987. These lemurs feed almost exclusively on bamboo. They live in small groups and each in his own territory. The Namarona River has its source in the heart of the tropical jungle of Ranomafana and meanders eastward and then plunges into the vastness of the Indian Ocean. Put on your vest. You don't have to squeeze it too much. To be honest, it doesn't matter. We'll go for a walk. The weather is great today. There's nothing but happiness. Forest, birds. I don't know what we're going to see. At least we'll see ducks. Endemic? Endemic and endangered like everything else. Gilles Gautier is connected to this forest, which conceals many wonders. It's zen, right? He's long since realized that the best way to explore these remote areas is to let the current carry you along. He drags me in his wake to reveal the secrets of this lush jungle. Oh, there's a nice kingfisher over there on the right. The Malagasy legend says that when you see a kingfisher, it's because he is the guardian of the river. What is that? Thieves. Oh, there's a guy who crossed on foot who went to hide in the forest because he saw us. Gold diggers are the major problem today because it involves deforestation and wild animals hunting. It seriously disrupts the environment. So I'm a bit of a ranger. I patrol the river and scare the gold diggers. I'm trying to raise awareness in people who are part of the communities living on riverside. I ask them to protect this river. Let's stop and go ashore for two minutes to explore a little piece of forest. Just pull up next to me. Precious and rare essences, orchids of all shapes and sizes, detached from the African continent since immemorial times. This vegetation is unique in the world. So walking through this forest is like walking back in time. We feel like we're discovering the forest. Its state is almost intact. You can see that the areas that are left and right are almost primal. Even when we walk through, it distorts it a little bit. But forest corners remain that are completely untouched. Look here, we're coming into a small area. Watch out because it itches. It's a pandanus forest. There's not much left. The trees have pretty much been cut down for local use. This is interesting. This tree looks strangely like a rosewood. I think we have a rosewood specimen here or kind of. There must not be many alive because they've been cut down all over the place. Even more because it's an accessible area. But there's still some regrowth. So the species hasn't completely disappeared from the forest. So there's still some precious woods like true rosewood. How tough those spiderwebs are. Go on, pull it, then we'll carry it. Go on the right. Mysterious, unique, precious. This forest is reminiscent of a distant time when men hadn't set foot on the island yet. The age of the lost world. Change of scenery. We left the exuberant and unspoiled nature of the Ranoma Fana Park. We're coming in from the east coast, so you can see the difference. Now we've switched over to the west flank. The climate is typical of the southwest. You see behind me, it's bare of leaves, it's dry. These are regions that have been completely deforested. A century ago, it was still covered with trees. In the last few decades, it's really degraded. Almost to a point of no return. In 50 years, Madagascar has lost half of its trees. This galloping deforestation is ravaging the island, but it also threatens its inhabitants. Malagasyans survive as well as possible at the price of immense efforts. If their environment deteriorates further, how will they grow their rice, graze their livestock, and provide for their needs? Jules decides to tackle the problem. Oh, wow. Yeah, I told you we're going where it's beautiful. 20 years ago, Jules discovered this granite hill and settled at the bottom of this life-sized valley. He's going full steam ahead with a crazy project to shape his little paradise. With very eco-friendly bungalows, healthy animals, employees who breathe the joy of life, and trees. A lot of trees. Endemic, fast-growing, or fruit trees. Jules has replanted dozens of them on his land. Let's go. Jules is an action ecologist. He's planted over 750,000 trees in the valley. This is our fruit nursery. We're doing a few fruit trees here. There's not a lot else. A few little bits of forest that are just hanging on here. Hello, Marvelle. Hello, sir. How's it going? Is everything okay? Yes, everything is fine. I finished repotting all the shrubs and the coffee plants are growing well. We hand out 4,000 to 5,000 fruit trees per year. They're beginning to grow all over the villages. That's not bad. So I hope in a few years there'll be little kiosks so we can sell fruit along the A Road 7 from our valley. With sweat and stubbornness, he tries to give back to his land, its valley, its original appearance. The next step, his dream. Reforest all of Madagascar. The next day at dawn, Jules takes me to climb above his land to admire this mass of granite by getting closer. I've been in the valley a little bit more than 20 years now. I knew that I was passing on the National Road. We could see the top of the mountains, the top of the Taranuru and the Karambuni. I knew the high walls and some climbing to be done here. When I got to the valley, well, we went there to climb, but I immediately felt that there was more to discover here. It wasn't just a story about a rock and a beautiful place. It was, wow, it was deeper. It was gut-wrenching. So much rock, so much granite mass. It makes us vibrate. It speaks for itself. Yes, we made it. Here it is. Doesn't get better than this, no? Yeah, right. Usually a little speechless. Even when you come here a lot. Every time you come up here, you're like, wow. It's nice to run in the bush. I've been running for 20 years. I've done nothing but run in the bush. Now I know every corner of Mada. But I let myself get carried away by the current. I land here and I feel that somehow I've been put on this earth to live here and to do something here. Now I can say it feels like home since my daughter married a descendant of the old Vazaha who lived in the valley 100 years ago. Now I am family with the people of the valley. I actually bought my land to the people of my new family. I'm on my way back to the sea, through the peaks and sandstone mountains of the Azalo Massif. As the crow flies, we have barely 400 kilometers to go. But on the Malagasy roads, it is a two-day trip. So what's for lunch? Chicken with rice. We're going to eat Malagasy because there's no restaurant. But if we get to eat, it's already great. My quest takes me to an idyllic coastline bathed by the Mozambique Channel. Between land and sea, I entered the territory of the Vezo people. These fishermen are the descendants of the first inhabitants of Madagascar. Once nomadic, these men and women have lived on this coast forever. Today, the Malagasy flags are flying in the wind because it is their national holiday and the whole country celebrates independence. Can you please try to do something? In Endava Doaka, half of the inhabitants are children or practically children and they know how to party, to say the least. Driven by monsoon winds, the first men who set foot on Madagascar came from Asia on frail swinging canoes such as this one. The white man is rowing slowly. And not even in tempo. Speed up, please. Yeah, let's go. 2,500 years ago, these intrepid Asian sailors guided by the stars discovered the lost world with its fabulous flora and fauna. Jax, Retsimba and Botamina are the worthy descendants of these first Madagascans. And like their ancestors, they continue to live off the sea. Jax and Botamina are real athletes. They dive tirelessly to dizzying depths to hunt for octopus and reef fish. And they aim true. Red, blue, with polka dots or stripes. Parrotfish, shark, ray. Fishing is varied, but not easy. Yeah, it's dangerous. We didn't have enough money for me to go to school. My father said, sorry, son, but we're poor. That's how I figured I had to do this fisherman's job. To help them and start making a living. But it's very hard work. Plus, the fish is getting scarce. The wind is really picking up. We have to go home. Fishing in Andavadoaka is a family affair. And there's no one missing to lend a hand. There's a lot of mouths to feed. And here, if you're not fishing much, you don't eat much. Our life is supported by eating fish, thanks to fishing. But today, the sea was bad and they didn't catch much. Mrs. Balko is a philosopher. We'll see you tomorrow. She's a mother of five. Their father, Gaston, has been living at the rhythm of the ocean and swims for a long time. Despite the precarious and difficult existence the Vezos are facing, they're still smiling. Here, the future is tomorrow. It's a way of life and almost a philosophy. And so it has been since forever. In the Vezo family, the men take care of the fishing and the women of everything else. Their roles are well distributed. This way, the 1,200 souls of the village manage to live in community in such harmony. And the people of Andavadoaka breathe joy and serenity. And like all the children of the world, Richard and his friends play at copying the grown-ups. You didn't tie this one tight enough. What kind of work is this? When you put it in the water, you have to check that. Gaston would prefer that his children don't become fishermen, but he patiently teaches them the right skills. The name of my canoe is Tiger Shark. Well, I hope it wins then. Yeah, but you're cheating. Kids still dream about fishing. And even if their future looks difficult, the next generation is assured. The Vezos will continue to fish for a long time to come, to live on a low income but free, like their ancestors a long time ago. Those children almost made me forget about my quest for the lost world. Quickly check the starboard mooring. We're going. This coast is still the territory of the Vezo. But the farther south I go, the villages get scarcer. I still have one last place to explore. And to get there, I'm going to have to dig deeper and deeper in a Malagasy bush. We're back on the A road, the RN10 this time. We thought that the A road 7 was rotten, but the A road 10 is worse. I have an appointment here in the middle of nowhere. Hey, man. Hey, mate, how are you? Good, and you? Good. Ryan Dart is an Australian, and he knows these arid southwestern lands by heart. My girlfriend and I, we had a plan to open up a dive resort somewhere in the world. And when we heard about Madagascar having the third largest reef in the world, so I came to check out the southwest, saw that there was really cool diving, plus epic surf and kite surfing conditions. We decided to open a resort in Anakau. Yeah, that's basically how it all began here in Madagascar. After exploring every corner of the coral reef, Ryan, a tireless explorer, ventured inland. He leads me in his wake, and we make our way through the thorns. Two years ago, he made an incredible discovery in the depths of Simanempetsoetsa Park. My friends and I were walking through a track here just as like tourists. And when we arrived here, it was full of lemurs, maybe 30 or 40 ringtail lemurs playing. And then when we saw this, I was just like, boom. Straight away, I asked the guide, has anyone dived this? And he said, no. And I was like, all right, job's on. While diving into the depths of the earth, Ryan discovered a treasure. At the bottom of this abyss lie hundreds of fossils of animals, now extinct. It's very important not to touch anything, especially in this cabin. Everything is really fragile. So if you touch a stalactite, a stalagmite, and break it, it's like several thousand years of work there. You'd destroy it in a second. Did I tell you about the bugs? Did I mention the bugs? There's some prehistoric iceberg bugs down here that scratch your skin and then drink your blood. Diving in the lost world of Madagascar. A mineral world, hidden from men since the dawn of time. In the half-light, we can see bones. As we get closer, I realize that the ground is literally covered with them. One fossil after another. Imagine Madagascar a few thousand years ago. The island was still covered with trees. Giant lemurs the size of gorillas roamed peacefully from branch to branch. Dwarf hippos and horned crocodiles populated the rivers. And the elephant bird, which weighed 300 pounds, laid gigantic eggs. This monumental den is the tomb of all those animals who are now extinct. Why are there so many fossils in such good condition in this particular place? And why have all these species passed? From a climatic disaster, diseases, or overhunting, this exceptional discovery is raising more questions than bringing answers. Scientists need time, and they've just started to get immersed in this lost world. you