Tily eto Madagasikara (Boys Scouts of Madagascar)

Tily eto Madagasikara (TEM), known in English as the Boys Scouts of Madagascar, is a Malagasy educational youth movement for boys based on the Scout method and Unionist Christian values. It is one of the constituent associations of the Firaisan'ny Skotisma eto Madagasikara – manabe Zazalahy (FSM-ZL), the boys' branch of Madagascar's national Scout federation, and through that federation it is part of the worldwide Scout movement recognised by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (OMMS/WOSM). Its sponsoring Unionist churches are the FJKM, FLM, EEM, METM and FMTA. The movement traces its origins to the first known Scout patrol in Madagascar, formed on 9 April 1922 (Palm Sunday) by Reverend Joseph Fuhler Radley with five boys: Ikaky Michael Rajohnson, Eugène Razafitrimo, Philippe Andrianarijaona, Alban Ratsivalaka and Albert Rakoto Ratsimamanga. Tily eto Madagasikara itself was founded on 20 December 1924 and joined the worldwide Scout movement together with the Fédération du scoutisme malgache in 1959. Tily eto Madagasikara is a voluntary, non-political and open educational movement. Its stated aim is to educate and nurture boys so that they become witnesses of Jesus Christ, upright citizens and pillars of the family. It organises boys in four age sections: Louveteaux (Cub Scouts, 6–11), Éclaireurs (Scouts, 12–15), Routiers or Mpiandalana (Rovers, 16–19) and Menafify (19–25). All leaders at every level are volunteers. Local groups combine a meute, a troupe and a clan, and are grouped into districts; the movement currently counts around thirty districts, including one in France for the diaspora. The movement's emblem was designed in 1955 by Martin Razafindrakoto: a circle containing a fleur-de-lis cross in front of a ravinala (traveller's palm) with the inscription 'Tily Madagasikara'. The brand was refreshed in 2022 to add a bordeaux colour representing the senior branch created in the late 1980s. Tily eto Madagasikara communicates in Malagasy and French through its official website, scout.mg.

The Scout movement reached Madagascar in the early 1920s. The first known patrol was formed on 9 April 1922 (Palm Sunday) by Reverend Joseph Fuhler Radley and consisted of five boys: Ikaky Michael Rajohnson, Eugène Razafitrimo, Philippe Andrianarijaona, Alban Ratsivalaka and Albert Rakoto Ratsimamanga. Tily eto Madagasikara was formally founded on 20 December 1924 as a boys' movement rooted in the Unionist Christian churches (FJKM, FLM, EEM, METM, FMTA). In 1959 Tily eto Madagasikara joined the worldwide Scout movement together with the Fédération du scoutisme malgache. On 2 May 1959, following the floods of March 1959, Malagasy Scouts from Antilin'i Madagasikara, Fanilon'i Madagasikara, Kiadin'i Madagasikara, Mpanazava eto Madagasikara and Tily eto Madagasikara received an honorary distinction from President Philibert Tsiranana for having 'shown exceptional dedication (...) and saved many human lives'. The movement's emblem was designed in 1955 by Martin Razafindrakoto: a circle containing a fleur-de-lis cross in front of a ravinala (traveller's palm) with the inscription 'Tily Madagasikara'. The original version used blue as the main background colour and the three colours yellow, green and red representing each branch of the movement. The brand was refreshed in 2022 to include bordeaux, representing the senior branch, a fourth branch created in the late 1980s. On 31 May 1997 Tily eto Madagasikara joined the Fédération de Scoutisme de Madagascar (FSM). The FSM-ZL statutes were adopted by the FSM General Assembly on 22 May 2022 at FOFIKRI Ilafy and registered under receipt number 627/20-MID/SG/PREF.POL.ANT/ASS of 11 May 2023. The FSM-ZL is governed by ordinance 60-133 of 3 October 1960, as amended by ordinance 75-017 of 13 August 1975, and by the constitution of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (OMMS). Its headquarters are located where the National Bureau President sits, and may be changed by the National Assembly within Madagascar. The FSM-ZL is recognised by the World Scout Bureau, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Today Tily eto Madagasikara is one of the three boys' associations making up FSM-ZL, alongside Antilin'i Madagasikara (Catholic) and Kiadin'i Madagasikara (open, boys and girls). The girls' counterpart associations are Fanilon'i Madagasikara (Catholic), Kiadin'i Madagasikara and Mpanazava eto Madagasikara (Unionist). Together FSM-ZL and SZM form the FSM. The movement operates around thirty districts across Madagascar, including one in France for the diaspora, and continues to run its four-section programme for boys from age 6 to 25.

• First known Scout patrol in Madagascar formed by Reverend Joseph Fuhler Radley with five boys.

• Tily eto Madagasikara founded.

• Emblem designed by Martin Razafindrakoto.

• Joins the worldwide Scout movement with the Fédération du scoutisme malgache.

• Malagasy Scouts receive honorary distinction from President Philibert Tsiranana after the March 1959 floods.

• Joins the Fédération de Scoutisme de Madagascar (FSM).

• FSM-ZL statutes adopted by the FSM General Assembly at FOFIKRI Ilafy.

• Brand refresh adds bordeaux for the senior branch.

• FSM-ZL statutes registered under receipt number 627/20-MID/SG/PREF.POL.ANT/ASS.

• Commitment: to serve God, the homeland and friends.

• International talent and international Scouting.

• Vazon'ny andiany Sampana Mavo Tily (Lovitao).

Voluntary, non-political, open Christian boys' Scout movement; educates boys to become witnesses of Jesus Christ, upright citizens and pillars of the family.

• Louveteaux (Cub Scouts, ages 6–11)

  Organised in sizaines (groups of 2–6 cubs); 2–4 sizaines form a meute. Each sizaine is named after a wolf pelt colour; the meute takes a place name from The Jungle Book.

• Éclaireurs (Scouts, ages 12–15)

  Organised in patrouilles (4–8 scouts); 2–4 patrouilles form a troupe. Each patrol is named after an animal; the troupe after a zone (forest, plain, etc.).

• Routiers / Mpiandalana (ages 16–19)

  Organised in clans (3–5 rovers). Each clan is named after a notable figure from the area where the clan is established.

• Menafify (ages 19–25)

  Senior section of the movement, represented by the bordeaux colour added to the brand in 2022.

1. 1Tily eto Madagasikara official websitescout.mg
2. 2Inona ny Tily ? – Tily eto Madagasikarascout.mg
3. 3Firaisan'ny Skotisma eto Madagasikara – manabe Zazalahyscout.mg
4. 4Wikidata – Boys Scouts of Madagascarwikidata.org
5. 5Tily eto Madagasikara – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org