Madagascar

Greetings

For men greeting men – A handshake is the most common form of greeting. Handshakes are with right hand while the left hand holds the right arm below the elbow.

For women greeting women - A handshake is the most common form of greeting. Handshakes are with right hand while the left hand holds the right arm below the elbow.

For meetings between men and women – A handshake is the most common form of greeting. Handshakes are with right hand while the left hand holds the right arm below the elbow.

Note: The above greetings are common in the Merina/Northern Betsileo region (central ) which are very different from the rest of Madagascar. is very diverse and what is accepted in one region is not always accepted in another.

Communication Style

• The Malagasy tend to be very direct and will tell you things how they are.

Personal Space & Touch

• There is little to no personal space, even with friends or business colleagues and definitely not with family. Much less than an arms length is common.
• The only time it is more "acceptable" to have personal space is when you are ill, otherwise if you back away from people it is assumed you are not comfortable with them and/or you don't like them.
• It is common for women to touch arms, shoulders, elbows, etc., when talking with other women and same for conversations between men and men. There is not as much touching during conversations between genders.
• For conversations between family members (including those of opposite sex), it is common for there to be a lot of touching, depending on nature of the conversation.

Eye Contact

• Eye contact tends to be limited between most groups of people and this is purely out of respect.
• It is okay to give eye contact but not for a prolonged period of time.

Gestures

• It is common to point with the index finger but keep it bent, pointing towards oneself.

Views of Time

• In the capital, Antananarivo, people use watches/clocks to keep track of time and appointments and are typically on time. Anywhere outside the capital, you are automatically on "Fotoana Gasy" (Malagasy time) which means they go by the sun and will very likely never be on time.
• In a village, if you arrange to have a meeting with the farmers at say 8am, no one will likely show up until probably 10am or later. People are very aware of Fotoana Gasy and tend to take pride in it.
• One will also find that a lot of people outside the capital do not wear watches and yet they know exactly how to tell time by looking at the sun (as long as it's not a cloudy day).

Gender Roles

• In the central region of Madagascar, the women in the household care for the children, take care of finances, and also help in the field. The gender difference is not great compared to the southern and coastal areas.
• If you are not interested in a person who's trying to get your attention, be up front about it and let him (very rarely her) know you're not interested, otherwise, it will seem that you are playing hard to get and it will most likely only get worse.

Taboos

• Pointing without bending the index finger is considered rude.

Law & Order

• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Madagascar are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Dress

• For Men - Pants/slacks, collared shirt (long sleeve or short sleeve).
• For Women - Conservative yet stylish is a good choice. Long skirts and blouse, pants are okay. Avoid wearing overly expensive accessories, dresses/skirts cut above the knee, and sleeveless attire.
• Jeans, shorts, and less casual attire are usually not worn in business settings

Titles & Business Cards

• Addressing people by Monsieur (Mr.), Madame (Mrs.), Mademoiselle (Ms.), Dokotera (Dr.) etc., is the way to go. Avoid using first names unless invited to do so.
• There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards. Not many people have them.

Meetings

• As a thumb of rule, if you're the "outsider" you should show up on time eventhough you will most likely be kept waiting. If you're late, it's unacceptable whether you're in a village or in the capital.

Negotiations

• If you're not Malagasy and it's obvious that you're a foreigner, when you go to the market they will give you a price that is at least twice the real price. It is assumed you are made of money and some merchants will not give you a cheaper price.
• Merchants will show you more respect if they see you trying to communicate in their native language. As a rule of thumb, act disgusted when they tell you the first price and slowly negotiate to a lower price (cut it by half), bargaining will usually take some time but it's fun. If you can get it cut by 25-50% of what they told you to begin with, you're good to go.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are generally not expected in business situations.
• As far as weddings, circumcisions, baptisms, etc, money is more acceptable. The amount depends on how well you know the family.
• One may notice that anywhere outside the capital, people don't tend to celebrate birthdays, this is not because they don't want to but because they don't know when they were born. Most will know about how old they are, but not know their exact birthday.
• Gifts can be wrapped or unwrapped, there is no set protocol surrounding gift giving, at least not in central.
• If one is traveling and staying with a family, it is a good idea to take a gift for the family or the husband & wife. It doesn't have to be anything big. A 99 cent pocket knife or some table mats can go a long way. Candy will also be greatly welcomed.
• Most Malagasy are very appreciative and believe it is the thought that counts.

In the Classroom

• Most schools starts in August and goes to December. After a a month of vacation. they start again in late January and go to May. Easter and Pentecost are two of the biggest holidays along with Christmas.
• Dress at most universities could be compared to typical American college students - jeans, t-shirts, skirts, sandals, flip-flops, tennis shoes, etc.
• Lecture is the most common form of teaching.
  

Other Observations

• Take candy or small souveniers to give out to children or even adults. You'll be amazed how handy a piece of chocolate comes in when you're wanting help from people.