Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of Queen Ranavalona I. It is
fady
for the husband of a pregnant woman to wear a
lamba
thrown over his shoulder. It may be
fady
for the family to eat until the father is present or
for anyone to pick up his fork until the most honourable person present has started to eat.
BETSIMISARAKA (THE-MANY-INSEPARABLES)
They are the second largest tribe
and live on the east coast in the region between Nosy Varika and Antalaha. Their culture
has been influenced by Europeans, particularly pirates. They cultivate rice and work on
vanilla, coffee and lychee plantations. Their clothes are sometimes made from locally
woven raffia. Originally their society included numerous local chiefs. The
tangalamena
is
the local official for religious rites and customs. The Betsimisaraka have many supersti-
tious beliefs:
angatra
(ghosts),
zazavavy an-drano
(mermaids), and
kalamoro
, little wild
menofthewoods,about65cmhighwithlongflowinghair,wholiketoslipintohousesand
steal rice from the cooking pot. In the north coffins are generally placed under a shelter,
in the south in tombs. It may be
fady
for a brother to shake hands with his sister, or for a
young man to wear shoes while his father is still alive.
BEZANOZANO (MANY-SMALL-PLAITS)
The name refers to the way in which they
do their hair. They were probably one of the first tribes to become established in Madagas-
car and now live in an area between the Betsimisaraka lowlands and the Merina highlands.
Like the Merina, they practise
famadihana
. As with most of the coastal tribes their funeral
celebrations involve the consumption of considerable quantities of
toaka
(rum).
THE VAZIMBA
Hilary Bradt
VazimbaisthenamegiventotheearliestinhabitantsofMadagascar,pastoralistsofthe
central plateaux who were displaced or absorbed by later immigrants. Once thought
to be pre-Indonesian aboriginals from Africa, it is now generally accepted that they
were survivors of the earliest Austronesian immigrants who were pushed to the west
by later arrivals.
Vazimba come into both the legends and history of the Malagasy. Vazimba tombs
are now places of pilgrimage where sacrifices are made for favours and cures. It is
fady
to step over such a tomb. Vazimba are also thought to haunt certain springs and
rocks, and offerings may be made here. They are the ancestral guardians of the soil.
MAHAFALY (THOSE-WHO-MAKE-TABOOS OR THOSE-WHO-MAKE-
HAPPY)
Theetymologyofthewordissometimesdisputedbuttheformermeaningisgen-
erally regarded as being correct. They probably arrived around the 12th century and live
in the southwest desert area around Ampanihy and Ejeda. They are farmers, with maize,
