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Next: 26 Jun 2027

Madagascar Independence Day

The national day, kept with parades and family meals of romazava, zebu and rice, with ginger, vanilla and clove.

A tile drawn for this day, not a photograph.

Spices for Madagascar Independence Day

Madagascar became independent from France on 26 June 1960. National Day brings parades in Antananarivo and a family lunch of rice with romazava, a beef and green leaf stew, with ginger, garlic and tomato, or ravitoto, cassava leaves. Malagasy cooking uses spice with restraint; the island is better known for exporting vanilla, cloves and pink pepper than for hot food. Vanilla-scented rum, rhum arrange, is served in many homes.

The spices

VanillaThe island's export and national symbol.GingerBase of romazava.Pink peppercornA Madagascan export.
About this page

Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Independence Day (Madagascar)" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven spices you may not know, what is cooking this week, and one blend explained step by step.