A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
About "Gasikara (Small Island Mix) - Small Island Big Song Ft' Sandro, Siao-chun Tai, Mau Power & Airileke"
4. GASIKARA (Small Island mix)
English title – Madagascar
Composer – Airileke & Sammy Samoela
Lyrics - Sandro & Mau Power
Language – Vezo, Madagascar & Kalay Lagaw Ya Torres Strait Australia
Translator - Jean Niriko Makozy (Vezo, Madagascar)
Nature sound – Gabagaba peak hour, Papua New Guinea & Sarawak Rainforest, Borneo.

Featured Artists –
Airileke – Motu - Papua New Guinea - Traditional samples and beats
Sandro – Vezo - Madagascar - Rap
Mau Power - Kalay Lagaw Ya - Torres Strait, Australia – Rap
Sammy Samoela – Merina - Madagascar – Jejy

With –
Ben Hakalitz – Selau - Bougainville - Bamboo Bass
Arthur Borman – Bidayuh - Malaysia – Pratuokng
Alena Murang - Kelabit - Malaysia – Kelabit Chant
Tommy Billy – Warraber Island - Zenadth Kes/Torres Strait Australia - Calls
Charles Maimarosia – Are’Are - Solomon Islands - Au Rerepi
Dou Airi, Rose & David - Motu - Papua New Guinea – Vocals
Siao-Chun Tai – Paiwan - Taiwan – Vocals


Rap by Sandro in Vezo

Maro tany ombako hafa avao Gaiskara.
Ahitanao foko maro : Vezo, Sakalava, Bara.
Gny vahiny tonga maro mandroso ka misalasala.
Ahita honko, riake, ao koa gny ala..
Gny tanananay madio, vezo mikarakara.
Ahitanao tsozombe, fano, fay tatama.
Ndao avia hijobo andrano soa hitantara.
Ahita horita, fia, vatohara.
Zahay vezo gasy raiky, rambeso tagna.
Ndao paré fa tsika henany zao koa hilitsy an'ala.

Oly e….. Gasikara zay…..
Oly e….. Tanindrazanay e….

Gny Maki agnaty ao le mihisa.
Maro gny magniry Gasikara paradisa .
Tompotany reo tsy taitse mamisavisa.
Bibi ntsika reo mihalany mihavitsy an'isa.
Feom-boro anaty ala zao le milame.
Baobab voankazo an'ala tsy lany e.
Tsy raha vitsy an'isa io, fa raha mameno tane.
Mahatama gny vahiny sy tompotane.
Mba fereneso, fa mijale.
Bibintsika reo ato mihalany e.
Gny Sifaky mitomany e.
Le milomay fa tsy hita tane ombane.
Ireo no mahatsara gny tane.

Gasikara nosy teako , nosy mamy, nosy mamy *6.

Oly e..... Gasikara zay......
Oly e.........Tanindrazanay e......

Mba fereneso, fa mijale
Bibintsika reo ato mihalany.
Gny Sifaky mitomany e,
Le milomay fa tsy mahita tane ombane.
Ireo no mahatsara gny tane.

Gasikara nosy teako, nosy mamy....... nosy mamy (*12)



There are lots of places but Madagascar is exceptional.
In Madagascar there are many tribes the Vezo, the Sakalava and the Bara.
Many foreigners don’t hesitate and come to visit Madagascar,
If you come here you will see the sea, the mangrove and the forest.
The place is good because the Vezo people care for the environment.
If you go to the beach you can see the whales, sea turtles and manta ray.
Come and see and swim and dive in the ocean, then you tell your friends,
You will see fish, Octopus and the reef.

We are Vezo, we are one people take my hand. Be ready now we go to the forest.

Ch – Olae (come come!)
Gasikara zay (Madagascar is there)
Olae (come come!)

The monkeys play in the forest,
Everyone likes Madagascar paradise.
The Vezo people like to look after the animals, but the animals in the forest are disappearing,
To hear the sound of the birds in the forest is very good, look the Baobab trees in the forest are many.
Beacause of the Baobabs tourists come here, there are a lot of Baobabs everywhere.
The foreign and Malagasy people come to visit.

I say to those who kill the animals of our forest,
The animals are disappearing,
The turtles and the lemurs cry,
The animals leave but they cannot find a new place.
We must protect them because they make Madagascar better.

I love my Island, my sweet Island,


Rap by Mau Power in Kalay Lagaw Ya


Ngay Paypa kulay umai kruy
Ngalpan danalayg Mina danalayg
Kedtha danalgaw pawa gamuka
Gasamar kedtha mayka
Inab danalayg pamoeyka angay kruy
Wagel thonar ika Ngay lak
Kuniya tidin Ngay lak Kuniya mizin
Kulay Thonar ika ngulayg ika
Ngayka gasamayka
Ngadth seathamanu
Ngalpa Mura kaymelan
Ngalpa ngulayg lumayk ngulayg lumayk
Kursika ngalpa Mura
Urpun buay
Okapilamin

As I look into the past
I see our culture is a true culture
Our cultural way is strength
I come to understand
We need it. For the future
I look back to the past knowledge
Today, in this time, I understand
I see the way of our people our knowledge is very important
We must understand we are all one people
one family.



Kelabit traditional song by Alena Murang

Ri’e Ri’e
Ri’e Ri’e
Ri’e Ri’e

We’re dancing
We’re dancing
We’re dancing



"My approach to music is it comes from the beat first. Like the heartbeat, the first rhythm, the first sign of life. The first drum I heard was the Gaba from my grand fathers, then came the Log drum the Garamut from my neighbors."
- Airileke