Madagascar

There is a sudden interest in American culture and European popular culture, which is eroding the more traditional culture, and especially the music. If one is well dignified and the other ill dignified, this is somewhat of a dichotomy, and is usually frustrating in action because it works in different ways. Salegy is a popular music form. They can act as a buffer if it is next to a suit in which part of it is ill dignified, but the other is neutral. Muslims are divided between those of Malagasy ethnicity, Indo-Pakistanis, and Comorians. It is fire of air. In the coastal regions of the provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Muslims constitute a significant minority. Similary, a knight of swords would be cardinal air, which would be libra.

The best example of this is the Malagasy Council of Churches (FFKM) comprised of the four oldest and most prominent christian denominations (Roman Catholic, Reformed Protestant, Lutheran and Anglican). Since it is a king of a water suit, this is 'air of water'. Many of the Christian churches are influential in politics. For example, the king of cups would be mutable water which is pisces. The Roman Catholic church is open to its members continuing these practices, while more conservative protestant denominations tend to condemn them to be superstitions or demon worship that should be abandoned. Elements are fairly constant, so when applied there are double elements involved which gives depth to the reading. They also may invite a pastor to attend a famadihana. Kings usually represent mutable signs (usually air), queens fixed signs (usually water), and princes cardinal signs (usually fire).

Many incorporate the cult of the dead with their religious beliefs and bless their dead at church before proceeding with the traditional burial rites. Court cards can also be attributed to elements, but personal preference usually has variability in this. About 45% of the Malagasy are Christian, divided almost evenly between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Other elemental combinations are friendly. In this ritual, relatives' remains are removed from the family tomb, rewrapped in new silk shrouds, and returned to the tomb following festive ceremonies in their honor. Air and Earth weaken each other. The Merina and Betsileo reburial practice of famadihana, or "turning over the dead" celebrate this spiritual communion. Fire and water weaken each other.

They believe that the dead join their ancestors in the ranks of divinity and that ancestors are intensely concerned with the fate of their living descendants. Each card can be attributed to one of the four (sometimes five) elements. The Merina in the highlands particularly tend to hold tightly to this practice. A card will be well or ill dignified by the cards surrounding it. Approximately half of the country's population practices traditional religions, which tend to emphasize links between the living and the dead. All the while, pay attention to elemental dignities. Many Peace Corps volunteers are serving to further this effort and train teachers. With this string, you can tell a story.

English is becoming more widely spoken and in 2003 the government began a pilot project of introducing the teaching of English into the primary grades of 44 schools, with hopes of taking the project nationwide. Count: 12 for Zodiacal trumps 5 or 11 for Aces 9 for planetary trumps 7 for Princesses 4 for Knights, Queens and Princes 3 for Elemental trumps. French is spoken among the educated population of this former French colony. Count in the direction the card faces (usually left for Princes and Knights, usually right for Queens and Princesses) until a card is hit twice. The Malagasy language is of Malayo-Polynesian origin and is generally spoken throughout the island. In the Crowley deck, the courts are Knight, Queen, Prince, and Princess. The largest coastal groups are the Betsimisaraka (1.5 million) and the Tsimihety and Sakalava (700,000 each). All card-counting strings start from a significator, which must be a court card.

Asian features are most predominant in the central highlands people, the Merina (3 million) and the Betsileo (2 million); the coastal people (called côtiers) are of more clearly African origin. Starting from the significator, the reader card-counts. Subsequent migrations from both the Pacific and Africa further consolidated this original mixture, and 36 separate tribal groups emerged. Three 3s indicates deceit, for instance, while 4 Kings indicates authority and influence. The Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary with the Maanyan language from the region of the Barito River in southern Borneo. Then s/he looks for patterns: two or three of a kind indicates certain things, and majority of an element indicates certain things. Recent DNA research shows that the Malagasy are approximately of half Malay and half East African stock, although some Arab, Indian and European influence is present along the coast. The reader spreads the pile containing the significator in a horse-shoe formation upon the table, from right to left.

Recent research suggests that the island was uninhabited until Malay seafarers arrived between about 2,000 to 1,500 years ago. If in the earth pile, the matter deals with possessions, material objects, money, and the like. Madagascar's population is predominantly of mixed Asian and African origin, though those who are visibly Asian in appearance and culture are the minority, found in the highland regions. If in the air pile, the matter concerns communications, problems, thinking, and tact. He has consciously sought to strengthen relations with Anglophone countries as a means of balancing traditionally strong French influence. If in the water, the matter has to do with pleasure, enjoyment, and emotions, etc. President Ravalomanana has stated that he welcomes relations with all countries interested in helping Madagascar to develop. If in the fire pile, the matter concerns energy, quarelling, and force.

More recently, President Ravalomanana has cultivated strong links with the United States, and Madagascar was the first country to benefit from the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA). If it is not what the querent has come for, abandon the reading for now, or try in a little while after focusing on the issue some more. Active relationships with Europe, especially France, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as with Britain, Russia, Japan, India, and China have been strong since independence. When the reader finds the significator, tell the querent for what s/he has come, and continue. It enjoys closer and generally good relations with its Indian Ocean neighbors -- Mauritius, Réunion, and Comoros. This is determined by their birthday, and would correspond to a Queen, Knight, or Prince card. External relations reflect this trend, although Madagascar's physical isolation and strong traditional insular orientation have limited its activity in regional economic organizations and relations with its East African neighbors. The reader looks through the piles to see which pile the querent's significator is in.

Starting in 1997, globalization encouraged the government and President Ratsiraka to adhere to market-oriented policies and to engage world markets. The reader turns these piles over and gets a general feel for the situation. Early in his tenure, he established formal ties with South Korea and sent emissaries to Morocco. These four piles represent the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, or, if you will, the four elements. Taking office in 1993, President Albert Zafy expressed his desire for diplomatic relations with all countries. The querent "asks" the deck a question, then cuts it into four piles. From 1978 until 1991, then-President Ratsiraka emphasized independence and nonalignment and followed an "all points" policy stressing ties with socialist and radical regimes, including North Korea, Cuba, Libya, and Iran. The reader invokes Iao, then Hru, then traces the unicursal hexagram upon the deck, before shuffling and handing it to the querent.

Madagascar, which has historically been perceived as on the margin of mainstream African affairs, eagerly rejoined the African Union in July 2003 after a 14-month hiatus triggered by the 2002 political crisis. Crowley used the Opening of the Key spread developed by the Golden Dawn which consists of five stages. A large mining investment by Rio Tinto in the Fort Dauphin region, to exploit ilmenite (titanium dioxide), is expected by late 2005, and other projects in ilmenite (Ticor/Kumba in Tulear) and nickel (Dynatec/Implats near Tamatave) could also be launched in the coming months. Games Systems version of the deck. Mining investment is beginning to take off following the introduction of a new law opening the country up to foreign mining companies. In any case, this spread was invented by the publisher of the small book accompanying the U.S. Agricultural exports consist of low volume high value products like vanilla, litchies and essential oils. This layout does not in fact have anything to do with the way Crowley read the deck he designed.

Exports from the EPZs, located around Antananarivo and Antsirabe, consist the most part of garment manufacture, targeting the US market under AGOA and the European markets under the Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement. Many readers avoid the Thoth deck because of Crowley's alleged affinity for black magic. Tourism targets the niche eco-tourism market, capitalizing on Madagascar's unique biodiversity, unspoiled natural habitats, and lemur species. The bottom right hand category (three cards) represents forces beyond the querent's control. Madagascar's sources of growth are tourism; textile and light manufacturing exports (notably through the EPZs); agricultural products (the country is the world's leading producer of vanilla, accounting for about half the world's export market); and mining. The bottom left hand category (three cards) represents forces that help the querent. Some recent concerns have arisen about the confict of interest between the policies pursued by President and the activities his firms, most notably with preferential treatment for rice imports initiated by the government in late 2004 responding to a production shortfall in the country. The top left hand category (three cards) represent what will happen in the distant or less likely future.

President Ravalomanana rose to prominence through his agro-foods TIKO company, and is known for attempting to apply many of the lessons learned in the world of business to running the government. The top right hand category (three cards) represents things that will happen in the near or most likely future. The government of President Ravalomanana is aggressively seeking foreign investment and is tackling many of the obstacles to such investment, including combating corruption, reforming land-ownership laws, encouraging study of American and European business techniques, and active pursuit of foreign investors. The center category (three cards) represents the motivations of the querent. The U.S.-Madagascar Business Council was formed in the United States in May 2003, and the two organizations continue to explore ways to work for the benefit of both groups. The reader lays out the cards in five categories. Business Council was formed in Madagascar in 2002. The querent concentrates on the question and then returns the deck to the reader.

The Madagascar-U.S. The deck is shuffled by the querent. In October 2004, the boards of the IMF and the World Bank determined that Madagascar had reached the completion point under the enhanced HIPC Initiative. Those who buy the deck are instructed as follows. The boards of the IMF and World Bank agreed in December 2000 that the country had reached the decision point for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative and defined a set of conditions for Madagascar to reach the completion point. The Thoth Tarot deck was created by Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris. In 2000, Madagascar embarked on the preparation of a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. The card-reader then flips the cards over, the one on the left telling of the past, the middle one telling current events, and the one on the right telling the future.

The Malagasy Government identified road infrastructure as its principle priority and underlined its commitment to public-private partnership by establishing a joint public-private sector steering committee. The card-reader shuffles the deck, then spreads out all of the cards, asking the querent [the person for whom the cards are being read] to pick three cards, one at a time. Donor countries demonstrated their confidence in the new government by pledging $1 billion in assistance over five years. This spread can use the minor arcana as well, but the fortunes that it tells are more powerful and persuading with the major arcana and it can allow more creativity and abstraction in the fortunes. Madagascar developed a recovery plan in collaboration with the private sector and donors and presented it at a "Friends of Madagascar" conference organized by the World Bank in Paris in July 2002. The fifth card, also known as the final result, is what will happen if the fourth element is avoided or never played. Following the 2002 political crisis, the government attempted to set a new course and build confidence, in coordination with international financial institutions and the donor community. The fourth card symbolizes what can stop or prevent the previous card from happening.

In 2005 inflation was brought under control by tight monetary policy (the "Taux Directeur", or central bank rate, was raised to 16% and reserve requirements for banks tightened), and growth will reach around 6.5% in 2005. The third card represents what can happen in their future whether it be bad or good. Currency depreciation and rising inflation in 2004 have hampered economic performance, but growth for the year reached 5.3 percent, with inflation reaching around 25% at the end of the year. The second card represents their present state. Following resolution of the crisis, the economy rebounded with GDP growth of over 10% in 2003. The first card represents what is behind the querent or their past. Real GDP dropped 12.7% for the year 2002, inflows of foreign investment dropped sharply, and the crisis tarnished Madagascar's budding reputation as an AGOA standout and a promising place to invest. Cards can be right-side up or upside down, as long as the meanings are readable.

A six-month political crisis triggered by a dispute over the outcome of the presidential elections held in December 2001 virtually halted economic activity in much of the country in the first half of 2002. There are five cards arranged in front of the querent. During the period of solid growth from 1997 through 2001, poverty levels remained stubbornly high, especially in rural areas. This spread uses cards from the major arcana only and is arranged in a specific order. Although structural reforms advanced, governance remained weak and perceived corruption in Madagascar was extremely high. Note that, for tarot layouts for its inner-order members, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn used a more complex system which included The Opening of the Key spread [15]. A period of significant stagnation from 1991-96 was followed by 5 years of solid economic growth and accelerating foreign investment, driven by a second wave of privatizations and EPZ development. Waite in his book, A Pictorial Key to the Tarot.

An initial privatization program (1988-1993) and the development of an export processing zone (EPZ) regime in the early 1990s were key milestones in this effort. E. Structural reforms began in the late 1980s, initially under pressure from international financial institutions, notably the World Bank. The Celtic Cross was possibly used by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn for outer-order members of the Order and was later made popular because of its description by A. The eastern, or windward side of the island is home to tropical rainforests, while the western and southern sides of the island, which lie in the rain shadow of the central highlands, are home to tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands. [14]. Madagascar's long isolation from the neighboring continents has resulted in a unique mix of plants and animals, many found nowhere else in the world; some ecologists refer to Madagascar as the "eighth continent". (If there is a significator card, the first card of the 10 is placed atop the significator card.) The final 4 of the 10 cards are placed in a column to the right.

Southeastern trade winds dominate, and there are occasional cyclones. The first 6 of the 10 cards are laid out in the shape of a cross. There are two seasons: it is hot and rainy from November to April, and cooler and dry from May to October. The significator card represents the person or the situation. The west coast has many protected harbors and broad plains, while the southwest is a plateau and desert region. This layout generally consists of 10 cards, or 10 cards plus an optional, 11th card [as a significator card]. The Tsaratanana Massif in the north has volcanic mountains. More experienced practitioners will sometimes use their own spreads, assigning their own meanings to the relevant positions represented.

The east coast of Madagascar has lowlands leading to steep bluffs and central highlands. There are many different spreads, although the Celtic Cross is one of the best known, and is often taught to beginners as their first spread, despite the complexity of it and the availability of simpler, more easily manageable spreads. The 22 regions by province:. These patterns are called spreads or layouts. They are:. In Tarot divination, results can be achieved with analysis of just one card, but, for more thoroughness, combinations of several cards in set patterns are usually used. Madagascar is divided into six autonomous provinces (faritany mizakatena), each named for their capital. This is probably much less common than simple divination.

It appears that the departments will be based on the Fivondronampokontany, although it is unclear whether they are already in place and what it means that the assets will be taken over by the regions. Divination may be seen as magical in itself, but the word "magic" often refers to the use of Tarot cards in a magical ritual designed to achieve some end. The departments are not mentioned in the law, instead the designation "components" of the regions is used. If the reader uses the interpretation technique of reversals, a reversed card has its own set of modified meanings and/or modified energies; a reversed card's meaning may sometimes be the opposite of the upright card meaning, sometimes weakened, sometimes twisted. It is also mentioned that the communes are the only entities that are operational, and there will be an unspecified period of transition to the new system. The cards are then analysed according to their positions, their individual divinatory meanings, their relationships, and whether the cards are upside-down ("reversed"). The regions will also take over the assets of the "ex-Fivondronampokontany". A well-known spread is the Celtic Cross.

Although they are subdivisions of the provinces, they are representatives (and representing the people) of the republic, not the province. There are many variations, but in many readings the querent shuffles the cards, then the reader lays out the cards in a pattern called a "layout" or "spread". Meanwhile the 28 regions originally proposed had become 22. The cards are therefore sometimes "insulated" by wrapping them in silk or enclosing them in a box, and only touched by the reader and by the person for whom the reading is done (the "querent"). 2004-001. Further, some individuals believe that the cards take on the "aura" or "vibrations" of someone who touches them. In 2004, the regions were finally created by the national assembly in law no. Still others routinely follow the divinatory meanings assigned to each card by popular books and other authorities.

This effectively means that the autonomous provinces have ceased to exist as such, although it remains unclear whether they will remain in place. Tarot card readers sometimes believe that Tarot cards allow them to exercise an innate psychic ability to see the future. The new president, Ravalomanana, replaced the provincial governments by special delegations, appointed by the president. That point of view may be unusual among those who use Tarot for divination. During the power struggle after the presidential elections in 2001, five of those provinces, whose governors supported Ratsiraka, declared themselves independent from the republic. Meaning may emerge even from purely random patterns, as chance selections force you to consider concepts that you'd normally ignore, and the density of meaning is great enough that meanings can emerge from almost any selection of cards. The autonomous provinces, having the same names and territories as the already existing provinces, were created in 2000. In that sense, it might be said that the Tarot can give you insights into the future without having any supernatural or occult aspect at all.

With Didier Ratsiraka back in power, the constitution was changed in 1998, to include and specifically mention six autonomous provinces, divided into undefined regions and communes. For instance, you might be subconsciously aware that a relationship or job is in trouble, before you admit it to yourself. The communes were created in 1996. It can be argued that we sometimes perceive the signs of future events subconsciously only. In the law passed by the national assembly in 1994, three such entity levels were defined: region (faritra), department (departemanta) and commune (kaominina). Alternatively, it is sometimes seen as a less sophisticated use of tarot. The name, number, and limits of territorial entities should be determined by law. This is sometimes seen as an extension of the psychological use mentioned above.

The constitution of 1992 ruled that the country should be organized in decentralized territorial entities. Divination, or fortune-telling, is by far the most popular and well-known use of the Tarot in the English-speaking world. During the second republic, the country was divided into five levels:. Random selections of Tarot cards have also been used to construct stories for writing exercises and writing games. Madagascar is also part of the Indian Ocean Commission. Eliot's poem The Waste Land uses only superficial descriptions of Tarot cards, a few of which are genuine. The Constitutional Court approves the constitutionality of new laws. S.

For its part, the National Assembly can pass a motion of censure and require the prime minister and council of ministers to step down. T. The president can dissolve the National Assembly. Italo Calvino described the Tarot as a "machine for telling stories", writing the novel The Castle of Crossed Destinies with plots and characters constructed through the Tarot. The prime minister and members of Parliament initiate legislation, and the government executes it. The Tarot has inspired writers as well as visual artists. The president appoints the prime minister. This may reflect their belief that Tarot symbolism has evolved, especially since the early 20th century, so that it has become increasingly universal.

A prime minister and council of ministers carries out day-to-day management of government. Interestingly, some people view the older decks such as the Visconti-Sforza and Marseille as crude and limited when compared to some modern ones. The Senate consists of 90 senators, two-thirds elected by local legislators and other Grand Electors and one-third appointed by the president, all for 6-year terms. Some try to get the client to clarify his ideas by imagining his situation or relationship in terms of Tarot images: Is someone rushing in heedlessly like the Knight of Swords perhaps, or blindly keeping the world at bay as in the Rider-Waite-Smith Two of Swords? The Tarot can be seen as a kind of algebra of the subconscious, allowing it to be analysed at the conscious level. The last election was held in December 2002. Some psychologists use Tarot cards to identify how a client views himself or herself, by asking the patient to select a card that he or she identifies with. The National Assembly consists of 160 representatives elected by direct vote every 5 years. The theory of archetypes gives rise to several psychological uses.

The president is elected by direct universal suffrage for a 5-year term, renewable twice. The Emperor, for instance, represents the ultimate patriarch or father figure. The principal institutions of the Republic of Madagascar are a presidency, a parliament (National Assembly and Senate), a prime ministry and cabinet, and an independent judiciary. He may have regarded the Tarot cards as representing archetypes: fundamental types of person or situation embedded in the subconscious of all human beings. In March 1998, Malagasy voters approved a revised Constitution. Carl Jung was the first psychologist to attach importance to the Tarot. Financing and specific powers for the regional administrations remain to be clarified. The Tarot is often considered to correspond to various systems such as astrology, Pythagorean numerology, the Kabalah, the I Ching and others.

In September 2004, the Government named 22 Regional Chiefs, reporting directly to the President, to implement its decentralization plans. The numerology is usually thought to be significant. Subsequent legislation established a structure of 22 regions to decentralize administration. In many systems of interpretation based on that of the Golden Dawn, the four suits are associated with the four elements: Swords with air, Wands with fire, Cups with water and Pentacles with earth. Following the crisis of 2002, the President replaced provincial governors with appointed PDSs (Presidents des Delegations Speciales). There is a vast body of writing on the significance of the Tarot. November 2003 municipal elections were conducted freely, returning a majority of supporters of the president, but also significant numbers of independent and regional opposition figures. This idea was apparently first suggested by tarot author Eden Gray in the mid-20th century.

December 2002 legislative elections gave his newly formed TIM (Tiako-I-Madagasikara) (I Love Madagascar) Party a commanding majority in the National Assembly. Altogether the major arcana are frequently said to represent the Fool's journey: a symbolic journey through life in which the Fool overcomes obstacles and gains wisdom. After the end of the 2002 political crisis, President Ravalomanana began many reform projects, forcefully advocating "rapid and durable development" and the launching of a battle against corruption. Each card has its own large, complicated and disputed set of meanings. Ratsiraka is from the coastal Betsimisaraka tribe and Ravalomanana comes from the highland Merina tribe. The twenty-two cards in the major arcana are: Fool, Magician, High Priestess [or La Papessa/Popess], Empress, Emperor, Hierophant [or Pope], Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement, World. In addition to political differences, ethnic differences played a role in the crisis and continue to play a role in politics. Even here there is room for interpretation: the card is sometimes considered as showing intellect triumphing over desire, sometimes as the equal union of intellect and passion, sometimes just as a symbol of mental strength or endurance.

Sporadic violence and considerable economic disruption continued until July 2002 when Ratsiraka and several of his prominent supporters fled to exile in France. The mountains in the background demonstrate another kind of strength. A political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka supporters cut major transport routes from the primary port city to the capital city, a stronghold of Ravalomanana support. Other symbols are included: a chain of roses symbolizing desire or passion, against a white robe symbolizing purity. Marc Ravalomanana contested the results and claimed victory. In the newer card, this symbol appears explicitly. The Ministry of the Interior declared incumbent Ratsiraka of the AREMA party victorious. The woman's hat of the Marseille card has frequently been interpreted as a lemniscate: the sideways-figure-eight representing infinity, or, according to Waite, the Spirit of Life.

In December 2001, a presidential election was held in which both major candidates claimed victory. As with its Marseille-deck ancestor, the Strength trump shows a woman holding the jaws of a lion, but this picture is far more elaborate. A National Assembly dominated by members of President Ratsiraka'a political party AREMA subsequently passed the 1998 Constitution, which considerably strengthened the presidency. We can know more about the symbolic intentions of the designer here, since he conveniently wrote many books on the subject on occultism and symbolism and a handbook specifically for this deck titled The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910). After President Zafy's impeachment by the National Assembly in 1996 and the short quasi-presidency of Norbert Ratsirahonana, the 1997 elections once again pitted Zafy and Ratsiraka, with Ratsiraka this time emerging victorious. See, for example, the Rider-Waite-Smith Strength card. Zafy was sworn in as President on March 27, 1993. Images and interpretations have been continually reshaped, in part, to help the Tarot live up to its mythic role as a powerful occult instrument and to respond to modern needs.

Runoff elections were held in February 1993, and the leader of the Hery Velona movement, Albert Zafy, defeated Ratsiraka. In turn, the meanings come to be modified by the new pictures. Presidential elections were held on November 25, 1992, after the High Constitutional Court had ruled, over Hery Velona objections, that Ratsiraka could become a candidate. Interpretations have evolved together with the cards over the centuries: later decks have "clarified" the pictures in accordance with meanings assigned to the cards by their creators. The text of the new Constitution was put to a nationwide referendum in August 1992 and approved by a wide margin, despite efforts by federalists to disrupt balloting in several coastal areas. Some people find that modern Tarot decks are more interesting, expressive, and psychologically resonant than their ancestors. Troops guarding the proceedings clashed with pro-Ratsiraka "federalists" who tried to disrupt the forum in protest of draft constitutional provisions preventing the incumbent president from running again. We will do some dispelling further on; in the meantime, the most important thing to note is that modern, occult readings of the cards often have little to do with their meaning in their original context.

In March 1992, a widely representative National Forum organized by the FFKM (Malagasy Christian Council of Churches) drafted a new Constitution. In fact, much of the fog around the symbolism can be dispelled if one studies sources other than occultists with a vested interest in the occult interpretation of Tarot. The High Constitutional Court was retained as the ultimate judicial arbiter of the process. Contrary to what many popular authors claim, its origins are not lost in the mists of time. The resulting "Panorama Convention" of October 31, 1991, stripped Ratsiraka of nearly all of his powers, created interim institutions, and set an 18-month timetable for completing a transition to a new form of constitutional government. Such history is not impenetrable. In an increasingly weakened position, Ratsiraka acceded to negotiations on the formation of a transitional government. The Tarot has a complex and rich symbolism with a long history.

In response to largely peaceful mass demonstrations and crippling general strikes, Ratsiraka replaced his prime minister in August 1991 but suffered an irreparable setback soon thereafter when his troops fired on peaceful demonstrators marching on Iavoloha, the suburban presidential palace, killing more than 30. In the Silicon Valley Tarot, major arcana cards include The Hacker, Flame War, The Layoff and The Garage; the suits are Networks, Cubicles, Disks and Hosts; the court cards CIO, Salesman, Marketeer and New Hire. A number of already existing political parties and their leaders, among them Albert Zafy and Rakotoniaina Manandafy, anchored this movement which was especially strong in Antananarivo and the surrounding high plateau. The Tarot of Baseball has suits of bats, mitts, balls and bases; "coaches" and "MVPs" instead of Queens and Kings; and major arcana cards like "The Catcher", "The Rule Book" and "Batting a Thousand". These, along with political reforms like the elimination of press censorship in 1989 and the formation of more political parties in 1990, were insufficient to placate a growing opposition movement known as Hery Velona ("Active Forces"). For example, the Motherpeace Tarot is notable for its circular cards and feminist angle: the mainly male characters have been replaced by females. In response to a deteriorating economy, Ratsiraka relaxed socialist economic policies and instituted some liberal, private-sector reforms. These modern decks change the cards to varying degrees.

With an easing of restrictions on political expression, beginning in the late 1980s, the Ratsiraka regime came under increasing pressure to make fundamental changes. The Tarot of the Witches deck became famous/notorious in the 1970s for its use in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. For much of this period, only limited and restrained political opposition was tolerated, with no direct criticism of the president permitted in the press. The Tarot of the Witches and the Aquarian Tarot retain the conventional cards with varying designs. National elections in 1982 and 1989 returned Ratsiraka for a second and third 7-year presidential term. For instance, cat-lovers may have the Tarot of the Cat People, a deck complete with cats in every picture. During this period a strategy of nationalization of private enterprises, centralization of the economy and "Malgasization" of the education system crippled the economy, leaving traces even today of a highly centralized economic system and a high level of illiteracy. The variety is almost endless, and grows yearly.

During the 16 subsequent years of President Ratsiraka's rule, Madagascar continued under a government committed to revolutionary socialism based on the 1975 Constitution establishing a highly centralized state. Other modern decks created since the time of the first publishing of the Rider-Waite deck in 1909 vary in their card imagery. A provisional military directorate then ruled until a new government was formed in June 1975, under Didier Ratsiraka. The Marseille numbered minor arcana cards do not have scenes depicted on them; rather, they sport a geometric arrangement of the number of suit symbols (e.g., swords, rods, cups, coins) corresponding to the number of the card (accompanied by botanical and other non-scenic flourishes), while the court cards are often illustrated with flat, two-dimensional drawings. Richard Ratsimandrava, who was assassinated 6 days later. The Marseille style Tarot decks generally feature numbered minor arcana cards that look very much like the pip cards of modern playing card decks. Col. Numerous other decks exist, including the Tree of Life Tarot whose cards are stark symbolic catalogs, and the Cosmic Tarot.

Gabriel Ramanantsoa, resigned on February 5, 1975, handing over executive power to Lt. Other esoteric decks include the Golden Dawn Tarot, which is apparently based on a deck by SL MacGregor Mathers and clearly based on the teachings of the Golden Dawn. The unrest continued, and Tsiranana's successor, Gen. Tarot deck are black line drawings on white cards; this is an unlaminated deck intended to be coloured by its owner. However, he resigned only 2 months later in response to massive antigovernment demonstrations. In contrast to the Thoth deck's colourfulness, the illustrations on Paul Foster Case's B.O.T.A. Madagascar's first President, Philibert Tsiranana, was elected when his Social Democratic Party gained power at independence in 1960 and was reelected without opposition in March 1972. That said, many consider the Rider-Waite deck and the Tarot de Marseille also to be 'esoteric' decks.

A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a constitution in 1959 and full independence on June 26, 1960. The Thoth deck is distinctly different from the Rider-Waite deck. The Malagasy Republic was proclaimed on October 14, 1958, as an autonomous state within the French Community. Crowley engaged the artist Lady Frieda Harris to paint the cards for the deck. The French subsequently established reformed institutions in 1956 under the Loi Cadre (Overseas Reform Act), and Madagascar moved peacefully toward independence. A widely-used esoteric Tarot deck is Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot (pronounced /təʊt/ or /θɒθ/). In 1947, with French prestige at low ebb, a nationalist uprising was suppressed after several months of bitter fighting. Instead, they are variations.

The Free French received the island from the United Kingdom in 1943. They are not exact copies as the term clone would imply. British troops occupied the strategic island in 1942 to preclude its seizure by the Japanese. They are sometimes called Rider-Waite-Smith clones; however, the term is misleading. After France fell to Germany, the Vichy government administered Madagascar. Numerous other decks that are loosely based on Rider-Waite (as noted below)have been published from the mid-20th century through today. Action on the plan was never begun. In Internet tarot discussion groups, the Rider-Waite deck and very similar decks, e.g., the Universal Waite, are sometimes referred to by the collective term "Rider-Waite-Smith", "RWS" or "Waite-Colman-Smith" (or similar expressions).

Immediately preceding the fall of France, Germany initiated planning to forcibly deport all of Europe's Jews to Madagascar in what was known as the Madagascar Plan. The limited number of colors and "flat" appearance in the original Rider-Waite-Smith decks were virtually unavoidable due to the limits of printing technology in the early 20th century. During World War II, Malagasy troops fought in France, Morocco, and Syria. However, several decks, such as the Universal Waite, copy the Smith's line drawings, but add more subtle coloring and three dimensional modeling. Before leaving port the Russian sailors were required to put ashore the animals they had acquired, including monkeys, boa constrictors and one crocodile. Some individuals object to the Rider-Waite deck due to its relatively small selection of colors and "flat" appearance. In December 1904, the Russian Baltic Fleet stopped at Diego Suarez for coal and provisions before sailing on to its doomed encounter with the Japanese Fleet in the Battle of Tsushima. The first to do so was the 15th-century Sola-Busca deck; however, in this case, the illustrations apparently were not made to facilitate divination.

Absolute French control over Madagascar was established by military force in 1895-1896, and the Merina monarchy was abolished. However, it isn't the first deck to include completely illustrated numeric cards. The British accepted the imposition of a French protectorate over Madagascar in 1885 in return for eventual control over Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) and as part of an overall definition of spheres of influence in the area. An important difference from 'Marseille'-style decks is that Smith drew scenes on the numeric cards to depict divinatory meanings; those divinatory meanings derive, in great part, from traditional cartomantic divinatory meanings (e.g., Etteilla and others) and from divinatory meanings first espoused by The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, of which both Waite and Smith were members. British influence remained strong for several decades, during which the Merina court was converted to Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, and Anglicanism. The subjects of the trumps are based on those of the earliest decks, but have been significantly modified to reflect Waite and Smith's view of Tarot. In return, the island received British military and financial assistance. While the deck is sometimes known as a simple, user-friendly one, its imagery, especially in the Trumps, is complex and replete with occult symbolism.

In 1817, the Merina ruler and the British governor of Mauritius concluded a treaty abolishing the slave trade, which had been important in Madagascar's economy. (See also discussion of the general expression "Rider-Waite-Smith" below, to indicate a category of decks that includes the "Rider-Waite" deck as well as decks which use the line drawings of the Rider-Waite deck, such as the Universal Waite deck.) (In contrast, in French-speaking countries, the Marseille deck enjoys the equivalent popularity.) The images were drawn by artist Pamela Colman Smith, to the instructions of Christian mystic and occultist Arthur Waite, and originally published by the Rider Company in 1910. Beginning in the 1790s, Merina rulers succeeded in establishing hegemony over the major part of the island, including the coast. An influential deck in English-speaking countries is the Rider-Waite deck (sometimes called simply the Rider deck). For a short time the Betsimisaraka of the east coast also unified, but this unification was short lived. Such Tarot decks generally have 22 trumps with genre scenes from 19th-century life, a Fool, and have minor arcana that closely resemble today's French playing cards.). But with the domination of the Indian Ocean by the British fleet and the end of the Arab slave trade, the Sakalava would lose their power to the emerging Merina threat. (Note that the French card game of tarot is now generally played using a relatively modern 19th-century design.

The influence of the Sakalava extended across what is now the provinces of Antsiranana, Mahajanga and Toliara. The more simply illustrated "Marseille" style decks are nevertheless used esoterically, for divination, and previously for game play. Among these were the Sakalava chiefdoms of the Menabe, centered in what is now the town of Morondava, and of Boina, centered in what is now the provincial capital of Mahajanga (Majunga). However, under the influence of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, decks used in the English-speaking world for divination often bear illustrated scenes on the numeric cards to facilitate divination. Large chiefdoms began to dominate considerable areas of the island. Esoteric decks are often used in conjunction with the study of the Hermetic Qabala; in these decks the Major Arcana are illustrated in accordance with Qabalistic principles while the numbered suit cards (2 through 10) sometimes bear only stylized renderings of the suit symbol. During the Middle Ages, the chiefs of the different settlements on the island began to extend their power through trade with Madagascar's Indian Ocean neighbors, notably North Africa, the Middle-east and India. Some decks exist primarily as artwork; and such "art decks" sometimes contain only the 22 cards of the Major Arcana.

From about 1774 to 1824, it was a favorite haunt for pirates, including Americans, one of whom brought Malagasy rice to South Carolina. In Florence an expanded deck called Minchiate was used; this deck of 96 cards includes astrological symbols and the four elements, as well as traditional Tarot cards. In the late 17th century, the French established trading posts along the east coast. Other regional styles include the "Swiss" Tarot; this one substitutes Juno and Jupiter for the Papess and the Pope. European contact began in the 1500s, when Portuguese sea captain Diego Dias sighted the island after his ship became separated from a fleet going to India. Some current editions of cards based on the Marseille design go back to a deck of a particular Marseille design that was printed by Nicolas Conver in 1760. The written history of Madagascar began in the 7th century, when Arabs established trading posts along the northwest coast. The Tarot of Marseille was also popularized in the 20th century by Paul Marteau.

. This standard pattern was the one studied by Court de Gébelin, and cards based on this style illustrate his Le Monde primitif. The adjective and noun (language, ethnicity and citizenship) derived from Madagascar is Malagasy. Historically, one of the most important design is now usually known as the Tarot of Marseille (French: Tarot de Marseille). Among its most notable examples of biodiversity are the lemur family of primates, three endemic bird families and its baobab trees. A number of tyical regional patterns emerged. It is the home of five percent of the world's plant and animal species, 80 percent of them unique to Madagascar. Traditionally, a variety of styles of Tarot decks and designs have existed.

The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth largest island in the world. Tarot cards serve many purposes, and this leads to a variety of Tarot deck styles. The Republic of Madagascar, or Madagascar, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa. Tarot decks depict the archetypes of spiritual life, see iconography. Transportation in Madagascar. Games Systems, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck has been extremely popular in the English-speaking world beginning in the 1970s. Military of Madagascar. Thanks, in part, to marketing by the publisher U.S.

Foreign relations of Madagascar. In the 20th century, a huge number of different decks were created, some traditional, some vastly different. Communications in Madagascar. (Arthur Edward Waite had been an early member of the Golden Dawn). US State Department [2]. Tarot became increasingly popular beginning in 1910, with the publication of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, which took the step of including symbolic images related to divinatory meanings on the numeric cards. CIA World Factbook [1]. On the other hand, to this day some of Etteilla's divinatory meanings for Tarot are still used by some Tarot practitioners.

American Journal of Human Genetics, 76:894-901, 2005.. While Levi accepted Court de Gébelin's claims about an Egyptian origin of the deck symbols, he rejected Etteilla's innovations and his altered deck, and devised instead a system which related the Tarot, especially the Tarot de Marseille, to the Kabbalah and the four elements of alchemy. The Dual Origin of the Malagasy in Island Southeast Asia and East Africa: Evidence from Maternal and Paternal Lineages. Lévi, not Etteilla, is considered by some to be the true founder of most contemporary schools of Tarot; his 1854 Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (English title: Transcendental Magic) introduced an interpretation of the cards which related them to Cabala. Hules, et al (2005). The idea of the cards as a mystical key was further developed by Eliphas Levi and passed to the English-speaking world by The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Matthew E. Interest in Tarot by other occultists came later, during the Hermetic Revival of the 1840s in which (among others) Victor Hugo was involved.

According to the latest census data, the majority of Malagasy citizens (about 52%) practice indigenous religious beliefs rather than world religions. However, she did not typically use Tarot. The situation reversed itself when the company reintroduced its classic formula. This was due, in part, to the influence she wielded over Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's first wife. The Malagasy economy took a brief downturn during the 1980s when Coca-Cola, the world's leading purchaser of vanilla, switched to the New Coke formula that contained synthetic vanillin. Later Marie-Anne Le Normand popularized divination and prophecy during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. Both nations instead use multiples of five. Etteilla decks, although now eclipsed by Smith and Waite's fully-illustrated deck and Aleister Crowley's "Thoth" deck, remain available.

Madagascar and Mauritania are the only countries in the world not to use decimal-based currency. Etteilla designed the first esoteric Tarot deck, adding astrological attributions to various cards, altering many of them from the Marseille designs, and adding divinatory meanings in text on the cards. List of writers from Madagascar. Although tarot cards were used for fortune-telling in Italy in the 1700s, they were first widely publicized as a divination method by Alliette, also called "Etteilla", a French occultist who reversed the letters of his name and worked as a seer and card diviner shortly before the French Revolution. Music of Madagascar. Later Egyptologists found nothing in the Egyptian language that supports de Gébelin's fanciful etymologies, but these findings came too late; by the time authentic Egyptian texts were available, the identification of the Tarot cards with the Egyptian "Book of Thoth" was already firmly established in occult practice. Tootiorou. In addition, Gébelin wrote before Champollion had deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Menabe. Gébelin asserted these and similar views dogmatically; he presented no clear factual evidence to substantiate his claims. Tasimo Andrefana. Gébelin further claimed that the name "tarot" came from the Egyptian words tar, meaning "royal", and ro, meaning "road", and that the Tarot therefore represented a "royal road" to wisdom. Anosy. De Gébelin first asserted that symbolism of the Tarot de Marseille asserted represented the mysteries of Isis and Thoth. Androy. The tradition began in 1781, when Antoine Court de Gébelin, a Swiss clergyman and Freemason, published Le Monde Primitif, a speculative study which included religious symbolism and its survivals in the modern world.

Toliara