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| Malagasy money as it normally looks. |
In all
countries, money plays an important role in the lives of its people. In Madagascar this role, and the
relationships it creates, exist in a large degree in the market place. Whether it be with your favorite person to
buy chicken from, or your carrot and green bean lady who always picks out the
freshest veggies for you, or your pepper lady who always has a colorful array
of peppers stacked in neat piles upon her straw mat on the ground, or the owner
of the store who, though you rarely buy anything from him, always wants you to
stop and chat so he can practice his English.
These experiences and relationships are a corner stone to many people’s
lives on a daily basis.
Money can tell a unique story, from
the hands it passes through to the pictures depicted on its bills. Below is a brief summary of the money used in
Madagascar; what it depicts and
what it can buy (I have posted for both my old and new site since they differ in both region and size of town). The photos are of actual bank notes I had on me and are the cleanest I could find (they almost never as clean as presented in these photos).
what it can buy (I have posted for both my old and new site since they differ in both region and size of town). The photos are of actual bank notes I had on me and are the cleanest I could find (they almost never as clean as presented in these photos).
*Though
there are coins depicted in the photo above they are almost useless and you do
not commonly see them anymore.
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| 100 ariary Madagascar bank note |
This is the smallest value paper
bill in Madagascar and, along with the 200 ariary bill, is the most used bill
in Madagascar. The front side of the
100 ariary bill has two images that are very characteristic of Madagascar. In the foreground is the ravinala tree, also
known as the ‘traveler’s palm’ due to the fact that one can often find water
trapped in the base of the leaves. Apart
from being a symbol of Madagascar, the materials from the tree are used for the
walls and roof of traditional Malagasy homes.
In the background of the image is the tsingy formation found in both the
western and northern parts of the island.
It is most notably known at the Tsingy of
Bemaraha in western Madagascar, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990.
On the back side of the bill is an
image of Nosy Lonia, a sacred island in Antsiranana
Bay. The bay can be found in the
northern tip of Madagascar and is considered one of the finest harbors in the
world. It serves and protects the city
of Antsiranana, also known as Diego Suarez, from the Indian Ocean.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy four oranges, fried banana, or a tomato.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy possibly a small fried bread or a small
piece of candy.
200 Ariary ≈ 0.06 USD
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| 200 ariary Madagascar bank note |
The front side of the 200 ariary bill
is an image of the large stone gateways that were once used to protect villages
in the highlands of Madagascar. The
large stone disks, known as vavahady,
would be rolled in front of the gate every night to protect the villagers
inside. Prior to French colonization in
the 1800’s, Merina royal families used fortified cities to maintain their
position of power. The most notable of
these villages is Ambohimanga,
where the creation of the Kingdom of Madagascar first began, which was added as
an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
On the back side of the bill are
images of the aloalo, which are found
primarily in the southern regions of Madagascar. These wooden poles are carved with designs
and placed atop tombs. The intricate
designs, along with the skulls and horns of slaughtered cows, tell the story of
those that are buried there.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy a mango, coffee with milk, or three bell
peppers.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy a small bunch of green onions, a small glass
of juice, or a piece of ginger.
500 Ariary ≈ $0.16 USD
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| 500 ariary Madagascar bank note |
The front side of
the 500 ariary bill has an image of a Malagasy artisan weaving a traditional straw
basket. The most common types of items
made are floor mats (known as tsihy),
baskets, bags, and hats. These items are
part of Malagasy life all over the island.
On the back side of the
bill is an image of a herd of zebu, a species of domesticated cow found in all
regions of the country. Known for its resistance
to high temperatures the zebu can be found living in many tropical
countries. The zebu is easily
identifiable by the large hump between their shoulders. In Madagascar, zebu is kept as work animals
and for beef, and in some areas used as currency; many people investing their
money in cattle instead of using a bank.
The zebu plays an intricate part in Malagasy life and culture; so much
so that it even featured prominently on the countries seal.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy an egg, a large pineapple, or a cup of
beans.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy an egg, a one way trip in a taxi, or three
bell peppers.
1000 Ariary ≈ $0.33 USD
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| 1000 ariary Madagascar bank note |
The front side of
the 1000 ariary bill shows images of some of the diverse wildlife found here in
Madagascar. The images show two species
of gidro (lemur), the Black and White
Ruffed Lemur in the foreground and the Aye Aye behind, as well as a tortoise. Madagascar is well known for its
biodiversity; approximately 90% of all plants and animals here are endemic to
the island.
On the back side of the
bill are images of some of the plant life found in Madagascar. There are images of two plants, the sisal
plant (a species of agave) and the cactus, both prominent plants in the dry
desert areas of southern Madagascar.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy a pound of carrots, three cups of rice,
or about 20 ripe bananas.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy a small pineapple, five samosas, or a bowl
of soup.
2000 Ariary ≈ $0.66 USD
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| 2000 ariary Madagascar bank note |
On the front side
of the 2000 ariary bill is an image of the iconic baobabs. In Madagascar you can find seven of the nine
species of baobabs in the world; six of which are endemic to the island. In some parts of the country, the baobab is
seen as the mother of the forest and as a link between the living and their
tribal ancestors. The Alley of
Baobabs outside of Morondava, in western Madagascar, is a popular tourist
attraction.
On the back side of
this bill is the typical landscape found in many parts of Madagascar; terraced rice
fields. Rice plays an important part in
Malagasy life and is the staple food of the country. Typically eaten at every meal, rice is the
primary focus of the meal with meat and/or vegetables seen as side dishes and
eaten in much smaller portions.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy three cups of beans, three loafs of
bread, or rice and a side dish at a local Malagasy restaurant.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy 1.5 liter bottle of water or a pound of
onions.
5000 Ariary ≈ $1.66 USD
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| 5000 ariary Madagascar bank note |
The front side of
the 5000 ariary bill is an image of a traditional Malagasy boat out at
sea. In the coastal regions of
Madagascar, fishermen still use these boats for deep sea fishing.
On the back side of the
bill is the scenic beach view of Fort Dauphin, on the southern coast of
Madagascar. Another popular tourist
location in Madagascar, the town shows the complexity of landscape in the area;
from its beautiful coastline to the stunning mountain range that rolls into the
ocean to the diverse variety of plants.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy two 22 oz THB beers, a steak and fries,
or a little over two pounds of beef.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy one 22 oz THB beer at a restaurant, a pair
of sunglasses, or about ¾ pound of beef.
10000 Ariary ≈ $3.33 USD
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| 10000 ariary Madagascar money |
This is the largest bill found in
Madagascar. The front of the 10000
ariary bill is a historical reminder of the Kingdom of Madagascar. Between the
17th and 19th centuries, the Malagasy royalty ruled over
its kingdom from the central highland city of Antananarivo (the current capital
city). The Rova (royal palace complex) was the home of several kings and
queens of Madagascar and sits upon the highest point in the area. Depicted on the bill are the Queen’s Palace
and the tombs of some of her predecessors.
In 1995, a fire destroyed the inner wooden building of the Queen’s
Palace and all that remains today is the outer stone structure. Even so, it remains a prominent figure on the
skyline of the capital and can be seen from almost any point within the city.
On the back of the bill is an image
of trucks and cranes that symbolize the process of development in
Madagascar. Madagascar is one of the
world’s poorest nations and there is a lot of concern within the country about the
construction of new roads, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, along
with the politics that come along with that.
In many parts of the country there are roads that are hardly accessible by
car and many building that date to the early 1900’s when the French colonized
Madagascar. This bill both reminds us of
the history of Madagascar and serves as encouraging reminder of the steps the
country is making to become more developed.
-In Vondrozo
(Southeast countryside) this would buy 1.5 liters of honey, two pounds of
sausage, or a taxi brousse ride to my banking town.
-In Diego
(Northern big city) this would buy almost a two pound chicken or a hamburger.
Going to the bank
Madagascar has two main banks; BFV
and Bank of Africa. Banks are only
located in bigger cities and one will often find long lines, especially on
payday, both inside the bank and at the ATM.
People can sometimes wait hours before have access to the ATM only to
find that the machine has run out and they must return another day. The process of replacing a lost or stolen
card can also be frustrating as it can take months before you receive a new
card.
On the smaller bills you will see
the equivalent in francs printed below the ariary denomination. This is a throwback from French colonization
which many Malagasy have a hard time letting go of. The ariary officially replaced francs in 2005
but you will often still hear sellers in the market calling out the prices of
things in francs while also using French numbers. This creates a confusing process of
converting the francs to ariary (the conversion rate of francs to ariary is 5:1)
and then paying in ariary, which presumably they then convert back to francs in
their head.
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