Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and often entertaining aloalo stelae above the graves. Here also are some of the country's
most popular national parks and reserves, as well as its best beaches and coral reefs. No
wonder the south features on almost all tour itineraries.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
HISTORY Europeans have been coming to this area for a long time. Perhaps the earliest
were a group of 600 shipwrecked Portuguese sailors in 1527. Later, when sailors were de-
liberately landing in Madagascar during the days of the spice trade in the 16th and 17th
centuries, St Augustine's Bay, south of modern-day Toliara (Tulear), became a favoured
destination. They came for reprovisioning - Dutch and British - trading silver and beads
formeatandfruit.OneEnglishman, WalterHamond,wassoovercomewiththedelightsof
Madagascar and the Malagasy, 'the happiest people in the world', that fired by his enthusi-
asm the British attempted to establish a colony at St Augustine's Bay. It was not a success.
The original 140 settlers were soon whittled down to 60 through disease and murder by
thelocaltribesmenwhobecamelesshappywhentheyfoundtheirfavouritebeadswerenot
available for trade and that these vazaha showed no sign of going away. The colonists left
in 1646. Fifty years later St Augustine was a haven for pirates.
THE PEOPLE TODAY Several ethnic groups live in the south: the Vezo (fishermen),
Mikea and Masikoro (pastoralists) are subclans of the Sakalava. The Mahafaly, Antanosy,
Antandroy and Bara all have their homes in the interior. These southern Malagasy are
tough, dark-skinned people with African features, accustomed to the hardship of living in
aregionwhererainseldomfallsandfindingwaterandgrazingfortheirlargeherdsofzebu
is a constant challenge. The Bara are particularly known for their association with cattle -
this warlike tribe resisted Merina rule and were never really subdued until French colonial
times. Cattle rustling is a time-honoured custom - a Bara does not achieve manhood until
he has stolen a few of his neighbours' cows.
In contrast to the highland people, who go in for second burial and whose tombs are
the collective homes of ancestors, those in the south (with the exception of the Bara) com-
memorate the recently dead. There is more opportunity to be remembered as an individual
here, and a Mahafaly or Masikoro man who has lived eventfully, and died rich, will have
the highlights of his life perpetuated in the form of wooden carvings ( aloalo ) and colourful
paintings adorning his tomb.
Antandroy tombs may be equally colourful. They are large and rectangular (the more
importantthepersonthebiggerhistomb)and,likethoseoftheMahafaly,toppedwithzebu
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