Zampela, why this name ?

Before living barefoot on a small island lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, then coming to discover Mauritius, I used my flip-flops in Madagascar. My life as a student in plant biology was not enough for me. One day, I stopped everything, packed my bag and followed my intuition. The Great Red Island has spoken to me in a low voice for many years. The choice of this destination has always been obvious to me.

I have never regretted this choice ! Despite the poverty and misery that strikes you as soon as you arrive, it is mysterious, welcoming, warm, smiling and completely enchanting. While living there, I studied the use of plants by the Mikea, the last tribe of Malagasy hunter-gatherers. They survive however they can in the small part of the forest that belongs to them in the Southwest of Madagascar.

I could talk about it for hours, but let’s get back to the subject of this article: why this name, Zampela?

Zampela means “damsel” in South Malagasy. This is from the Masikoro dialect  spoken in the Mikea Forest region. Ampela is much more used, Zampela is less common, but this little nickname has been following me since

In short, Zampela is me here and today, but it’s also the part of me that stayed there ! Now you know, the mystery is lifted !

If you want to know a little more about the Mikea, visit this page! But it’s not translated for now … So if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me, I will answer with pleasure.