How to reject a delicacy during a Malagasy Dinner

1. Find yourself offered “the best part of the meal” aka the bone of the zebu and its bone marrow.

2. Find yourself gagging at the thought of scooping out bone marrow.

3. Ignore large bone in dish, eat other things around it.

4. Mom spots you doing this. Turns zebu bone around so that the bone marrow is scoop-able. Says “tsara be!” (It’s very good)

5. Ignore bone sitting in dish again.

6. Push bone around in dish.

7. Femme de Menage points to marrow with spoon “Tsara be!”

8. Consider options. Think about Malagasy language repertoire.

9. Somehow you know the words: You, can, eat & it. +10 points to you!

10. Say “Afaka mihinana ity ianao” (You can eat it or direct translation = Can - to eat – it/this - you)

11. Everyone laughs and applauds at your Malagasy, but they are concerned. “Tsy tia ity?!” (You don’t like it or direct translation = Not – to like – it/this?)

12. You try to explain that it’s just really weird to eat the bone marrow… can’t find the words in Malagasy.

13. Try to eat the bone marrow. Hate yourself a little.

14. Sneakily give the bone to your sister who has been eyeing it all dinner.

15. Watch her devour it in about 30 seconds.

16. Continue to suppress gagging.

Viola.