Jacques Rabemananjara
Encyclopedia
Jacques Rabemananjara was a Malagasy
politician, playwright and poet. He served as a government minister rising to vice President. Rabemananjara was said to be the most prolific writer of his negritude
generation after Senghor
, and he had the first négritude
poetry published.
in Antongil Bay
in eastern Madagascar
on 23 June 1913 of Betsimisaraka
n origin. He began his education on the island of Sainte Marie, but soon left to finish his studies at the seminary at Antananarivo
, the capital of Madagascar.
In 1935-36 the Malagascan authorities prohibited any further publication of a monthly journal of young people of Madagascar, which he was responsible for. The magazine Revue des Jeunes de Madagascar had 10 issues. The journal was an early example of political writing pre-dating later more well-known examples of négritude
.
and took courses in administration, but also to get his first collection of poetry, On the Steps of the Evening, published. In Paris he met the Senagalese
poet and politician Léopold Sédar Senghor
and Alioune Diop
who all participated in the important African studies journal Presence Africaine.
His early work dealt in classical alexandrian metre with the early history of Madagascar.. His 1940 work Sur les marches du soir dealt with the forced exile of Queen Ranavalona. She had been removed by the French colonial powers in 1897. Rabemananjara published his play Les dieux malgaches, the first modern Malagasy play in French, This play dealt with the pre-colonial past and with the coup that unseated King Radama II in 1863.
He was elected to represent the Tamatave region
in 1946 as the third member of the National Assembly from Madagascar. As a journalist at this time he interviewed Ho Chi Minh
including his association with the Malagasy politician Jean Ralaimongo
. He was suspected of being involved in the instigation of the insurgency in Madagascar in March 1947, despite the fact that he had urged the rioters to be calm. He was arrested, and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.
During his captivity he wrote the poems Antsa, Lamba and Antidote. Rabemanajara was eventually pardoned in 1956. Rabemananjara's freedom allowed him to attend the first International Congress of Black Writers and Artists
in Paris. He was one of the main speakers and earned a place at the top table of this important conference which was funded by UNESCO
and was still celebrated 50 years later.
He was exiled in France until Madagascar's independence in 1960. The new government under President Philibert Tsiranana
asked him to join a number of ministries and take the post of vice President.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
politician, playwright and poet. He served as a government minister rising to vice President. Rabemananjara was said to be the most prolific writer of his negritude
Négritude
Négritude is a literary and ideological movement, developed by francophone black intellectuals, writers, and politiciansin France in the 1930s by a group that included the future Senegalese President Léopold Sédar Senghor, Martinican poet Aimé Césaire, and the Guianan Léon Damas.The Négritude...
generation after Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist who for two decades served as the first president of Senegal . Senghor was the first African elected as a member of the Académie française. Before independence, he founded the political party called the Senegalese...
, and he had the first négritude
Négritude
Négritude is a literary and ideological movement, developed by francophone black intellectuals, writers, and politiciansin France in the 1930s by a group that included the future Senegalese President Léopold Sédar Senghor, Martinican poet Aimé Césaire, and the Guianan Léon Damas.The Négritude...
poetry published.
Early life
Rabemananjara was born in MaroantsetraMaroantsetra
Maroantsetra is a market town and domestic seaport in Analanjirofo Region, Madagascar. It is located on the Bay of Antongil near .Maroantsetra is the main point of access to Masoala National Park and the Nosy Mangabe special reserve, and the headquarters of the park authority.Access to the town is...
in Antongil Bay
Antongil Bay
Helodranon' Antongila , more commonly called Antongil Bay in English, is the largest bay in Madagascar. It is at the northern end of the east coast of the island and for administrative purposes it is within Analanjirofo Region. The bay is about 60 km long and 30 km wide, and is formed by...
in eastern Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
on 23 June 1913 of Betsimisaraka
Betsimisaraka
The Betsimisaraka make up approximately fifteen percent of the Malagasy people and are the second largest ethnic group in Madagascar after the Merina....
n origin. He began his education on the island of Sainte Marie, but soon left to finish his studies at the seminary at Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, the capital of Madagascar.
In 1935-36 the Malagascan authorities prohibited any further publication of a monthly journal of young people of Madagascar, which he was responsible for. The magazine Revue des Jeunes de Madagascar had 10 issues. The journal was an early example of political writing pre-dating later more well-known examples of négritude
Négritude
Négritude is a literary and ideological movement, developed by francophone black intellectuals, writers, and politiciansin France in the 1930s by a group that included the future Senegalese President Léopold Sédar Senghor, Martinican poet Aimé Césaire, and the Guianan Léon Damas.The Négritude...
.
Writing
Despite his leadership of the journal, Rabemanajara was chosen in 1939 to attend a commemoration in Paris for the 150th anniversary of the French revolution. Having travelled to Paris he was able to not only gain entry to the SorbonneSorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and took courses in administration, but also to get his first collection of poetry, On the Steps of the Evening, published. In Paris he met the Senagalese
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
poet and politician Léopold Sédar Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist who for two decades served as the first president of Senegal . Senghor was the first African elected as a member of the Académie française. Before independence, he founded the political party called the Senegalese...
and Alioune Diop
Alioune Diop
Alioune Diop was a Senagalese politician who was elected to the French Senate in 1946 .- References :...
who all participated in the important African studies journal Presence Africaine.
His early work dealt in classical alexandrian metre with the early history of Madagascar.. His 1940 work Sur les marches du soir dealt with the forced exile of Queen Ranavalona. She had been removed by the French colonial powers in 1897. Rabemananjara published his play Les dieux malgaches, the first modern Malagasy play in French, This play dealt with the pre-colonial past and with the coup that unseated King Radama II in 1863.
Politics
After the war he also met Raset Ravoahangy who was a partner with Rabemananjara in the creation of the MDRM (Democratic Movement for the Renovation of Madagascar).He was elected to represent the Tamatave region
in 1946 as the third member of the National Assembly from Madagascar. As a journalist at this time he interviewed Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
including his association with the Malagasy politician Jean Ralaimongo
Jean Ralaimongo
Jean Ralaimongo was a teacher who came to prominence after campaigning to get the French government to give citizenship to the people of Madagascar. Ralaimongo wanted Madagascar to become a French département and therefore part of France...
. He was suspected of being involved in the instigation of the insurgency in Madagascar in March 1947, despite the fact that he had urged the rioters to be calm. He was arrested, and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.
During his captivity he wrote the poems Antsa, Lamba and Antidote. Rabemanajara was eventually pardoned in 1956. Rabemananjara's freedom allowed him to attend the first International Congress of Black Writers and Artists
Congress of Black Writers and Artists
The Congress of Black Writers and Artists is a meeting of leading black intellectuals for the purpose of addressing the issues of colonialism, slavery, and Négritude...
in Paris. He was one of the main speakers and earned a place at the top table of this important conference which was funded by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and was still celebrated 50 years later.
He was exiled in France until Madagascar's independence in 1960. The new government under President Philibert Tsiranana
Philibert Tsiranana
Philibert Tsiranana was a Malagasy politician and leader, who served as the first President of Madagascar from 1959 to 1972....
asked him to join a number of ministries and take the post of vice President.
Later years
Rabemanajara was again exiled after the 1972 revolution, but this was his choice and he was not to return for 20 years. He died in France in his 92nd year on 1 April, 2005.Poetry
- Sur les marches du soir. Gap: Ophrys, 1940.
- Rites millénaires. Paris: Seghers, 1955.
- Antsa. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1956.
- Lamba. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1956.
- Antidote. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1961.
- Les ordalies, sonnets d'outre-temps. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1972.
- Oeuvres complètes, poésie. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1978.
- Thrènes d'avant l'aurore: Madagascar. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1985.
- Rien qu'encens et filigrane. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1987.
Essays
- Témoignage malgache et nationalisme. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1956.
- Nationalisme et problèmes malgaches. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1958.
Plays
- Les dieux malgaches. Gap: Ophrys, 1947.
- Agape des dieux Tritiva: Une tragédie. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1962.
- Les boutriers de l'aurore. Paris: Présence Africaine, 1957.
Prizes
- 1988 Grand Prix de la Francophonie
- 1997 Salon de la Plume Noire (Paris, 10-12 octobre), consacré au poète Jacques Rabemananjara
- Member of "l'Academie Nationale des Arts, des Lettres et des Sciences de Madagascar"