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The abundance of skins shows the large number of zebus from the herds of the Moramanga region. At first, trade volume was
primarily going from Antananarivo to Toamasina. Yet, very quickly, with the emergence of a European middle class in the capital, the
maromita
were responsible for carrying a wide range of items from Toamasina to Antananarivo.
Malagasy senior bureaucrats dressed in imported clothing - men wanted to dress in military clothing. The court ladies competed to
acquire the latest fashion garments from Europe: fabrics and silks.
In imitation of other nations, the King wanted his own band and ordered musical instruments and weapons - rifles and cannons - to
secure his power. Pianos or harpsichords decorated private rooms. Home furniture became westernized with huge wardrobes and
large mirrors. Harmoniums, and later organs, were established in churches in addition to bronze bells. Ordering printing equipment
was a priority for Christian missionaries who wanted a rapid diffusion of the Bible and the first learning manuals. All these heavy
objects were transported by the
maromita
, from Toamasina to Antananarivo.
Madagascar’s business developed through a well-hierarchized network. At the top of the pyramid were the foreign slave traders
who provided the financial logistics. The foreign trader then employed a few trusted Malagasy people, who controlled a network
of collectors of products from the markets and slaves. It seemed that everyone was satisfied. The wealthy merchants and carriers
seemed happy or at least content with their lot. There are many testimonies on the carriers’ unfailing cheerfulness their travels
despite their heavy loads. It did not take long for the Malagasy bureaucrats to get involved in this highly lucrative trade. The
entourage of the Queen was fully devoted to it.
The origin of numerous towns and villages established themselves in this way. In the 19th century, the Ampasimbe area was famous
for fine or coarse raffia explaining the high demographic concentration in this region, even today.
As key actors of Madagascar’s economic life, the foreign traders enjoyed their role and their influence to deliberate on domestic
policy. With associations with farmer families settled in Reunion, they managed to convince the colonial administration to build the
first port of Madagascar in Toamasina and a railway to the capital, to the detriment of Mahajanga (Majunga).
