Acculturation harmonieuse, indispensable à la lutte contre la Covid-19 à Madagascar

Abstract

In the context of globalization, Malagasy culture coex- ists with the cultures of different countries in the world. As a result, cultural conflicts over the health system are inevitable, in which indigenous practices in traditional medicine are disadvantaged in advance by the bal- ance of power. This research aims to propose an ap-propriate recommendation to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Literature data supplemented by field data are analyzed and interpreted within the frame- work of social dynamics. Previously, Madagascar had its own values and cultural identity regarding health. But over time, various foreign practices, classified as modern cultures are integrated into the culture lead- ing to different attitudes in Malagasy society. Like most colonized countries in Africa, Madagascar is marked by the presence of unilateral acculturation and the fact that the colonizers imposed their culture with new values and practices. For the fight against COVID-19, as a deadly global epidemic, the establishment of a harmonious acculturation with the convergence of different cultures, both traditional and modern, would be relevant and effective in the case of Madagascar, but also for other countries in the world.