The West - Madagascar - page 645

the most dramatic views you need to do the difficult Ankeligoa circuit in the Petit Tsingy
and also visit the even more dramatic Grand Tsingy, a one hour/25km drive away. For both
of these you need to be pretty fit and have no fear of heights. The best circuit in the Grand
Tsingy, Andamozavaky, is a full day's excursion involving a lot of climbing and some
caves (take a torch). The tsingy here is amazing, with pinnacles 50m high.
Asachangefromsweatinginthe tsingy youcantakeapirogueuptheManamboloRiver
to look for fish eagles and visit a cave with stalactites and stalagmites. There's also a lake
neartheparkentrancewitharesidentpairoffisheaglesandwaterfowlsuchaswhite-faced
whistling ducks, Humblot's herons and purple herons.
With the time and effort needed to get to Bemaraha, youshould spend at least three days
here so you can experience several different circuits. Note that it is fady in this region to
point with your finger outstretched.
PERMITS AND GUIDES There may be a queue in the mornings at the park office (
07.00-16.00 ).Tomakeanearlystart,arrangeyourvisitandgetyourpermitthedaybefore.
See Click Here for permit prices. Guiding rates vary according to the length of the circuit
and size of your group.
FITAMPOHA AND A MEETING WITH ROYALTY
Hilary Bradt
You don't expect to find a prince serving beer in a hot, dusty coastal town; nor to
have an audience with a princess in a bar. But Belo-sur-Tsiribihina is the home of the
Menabe (Sakalava) Royal Family, and even royals have to make a living, biding their
time until the next fitampoha .
Every eight to ten years the royal family receives empowerment from the ancestors
through this ceremony of washing the sacred relics. The relics are called dady , and
comprise bones, and perhaps fingernails and teeth. They are stored in an iron box in a
sacred house, zomba , which you can see in the southern part of the town, protected by
a high fence of sharpened staves. In the old days the dady would be carried into battle
to ensure victory.
Over a beer, Princess 'Georgette' told me about the ceremony, my guide acting as
interpreter. She brought out a photo album from the last fitampoha in 2004 to illus-
trate her story. It takes place in August, on a Friday when there's a full moon. From
Thursdaymidnightitisforbiddentowashintheriver.Reedsmustbecollectedatmid-
day, from a special place an hour's walk from the town. The collecting and carrying
ofthereedsisaccompanied bysinginganddancing.Descendants ofnobilitywashthe
royal clothing and hang it on the reeds to dry. Friday is the sacred day, when the relics
are washed in the river.