The Malagasy people are very pleasant and display a love for life and a happy attitude even though the country is very poor. The average worker in the country takes home a wage of approximately $1 US per day. Principle pursuit is farming or herding the ubiquitous Zebu, a distinctly bovine creature that appears regularly on all menus. France colonized Madagascar in the 18th Century and still have an influence even though independence was achieved in the 1960s. Many of the Malagasy practice Christianity but the majority practice a religion very similar to the Torajan practice in Indonesia which places fundamental importance on life after death and a very special reverence for ones ancestors.
