Raoul is gone : the Mahaleo band’s guide has recovered the stars

His assumed name was even not Raoul. He used to be called “Raolona” (the Man), an allias progressively turned into this French name of his artistic lifetime. Raoul had no first name, neither had his brother, “Dama” Razafimahaleo, but both built up a hack of a brand in the Malagasy world of music. The band’s name stemmed from theirs. Dama’s prominence progressively entitled him the band’s leader’s suit. The fact was that, the band had deep respect for the elder, the wiseman, the Big Brother. They called him the “dinosaur”, the genuine guide was definitely Raoul.

The poet

The Mahaleo band’s strength was made of four talented songwriters who provided the band with an interesting panel in its own made Malagasy folkstyle. None of those who ever tried to emulate failed from convincing the audience. Raoul might not have been the most prolific songwriter, but his songs were part of the fans’ best ones. Apart from poetry and love, he used to depict the society with much commitment, namely by denouncing the damages caused to nature, his songs successfully targeted the listeners’attention.

In his song “Rivotra” (the wind) written in 1982, Raoul denounced the society’s ethnic division processes dimmed to confront neighbors with each other, and to lead to the loss of humanity: “Is it the earth or the mankind that is tired? Is it the earth that is devastated or the mankind which is down? I wonder where is this going to drive us? The people has given in to carelessness ”

In 1972, as a band named Mahaleo was founded, Raoul was famed by outstanding maturity reflected by texts written by a merely 20 years old fellow. “Voankazo voarara” (forbidden fruit) was a genuine ode to love: “let’s love each other as long as we’re alive – to this end are we down here – let’s commit and help – and clouds will finally faint away – tomorrow, we’ll all be back to the earth – If life has to be addressed- let’s remember what it really is: we all did the same thing – we all tasted the forbidden fruit”

The committed man

His commitment was reaching far beyond the music world’s borders. Raoul regularly used his popularity in order to criticize power holders and to defend the country. However, he never completed the last step and refrained from entering the political arena, as his brother Dama did. The Mahaleo band’s “dinosaur” was part of the seldom artistic figures having dared criticisms against the current dictating transitional power, namely against its unability to reach a solution to the crisis. He stood against the so named nationalist claims produced by the dictating power, and said it loud that Madagascar could not do without  the international community. Doctor Raoul equally denounced France’s African policy.

“Raoul” Raosolosolofo Razafindranoa was living in Toamasina. In his modest daily life, he used to appear more as  the practionner than as the music star. This graduate from Rumania was spending his free time in music. Raoul was fond of creating instruments. His death will definitely be a large empty place within the Mahaleo band and within millions of fans’ hearts in love with him since 40 years. Raoul will miss the Mahaleo band’s 40th anniversary in 2012, provided that the band remains willing to carry on without him