(eng) Selection translated : Bloggers on Malagasy culture and traditions
By adminThis time we will not put translations for this simple reason…these posts are already written in English !
ON CIRCUMCISION
http://clairesttuburn.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/circumcision/
It is originally a custom in wich a boy becomes a man , but for pratical reasons, in the Madagascar of to day, it is practised already with boys of very young age (two to three years on the high plateau) .
It is practised during the dry and cold season. Depending on the family and the tribe, people go to the doctor or still celebrate it following the tradition such as Sambatra in Mananjary (east cost )
The circumcision is usually celebrated with a family party . If you see a parade along the street with people carrying sugarcanes , banana leaves and a Malagasy flag ; this usually is a circumcision party.
ON FAMADIHANA
http://layshiyuu.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/famadihana/
Best season to see Famadihana is August, september and october. Famadihana is a “turning over the bones” consisting in wrapping again the dead with new sheets. Mainly silk sheets. It’s very important traditional family event. Depending on each family, the Malagasy celebrate this event between once a year and once in ten years,with a party that can last three days during which some families spend their whole savings. During Famadihana, most families have little parade along the street( to show to the dead what has happened in the meantime), where they carry the dead body along, often accompanied by a brass hand.
ON TROMBA
By Rondro (the cultural journalist)
http://rambelosonrondro.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/malagasy-tradition/
Have you ever heard about a Malagasy tradition called « TROMBA « ?
This tradition has existed in many different parts of Madagascar for centuries.
What is a TROMBA?
According to the practice, it’s the continued existence of the king’s ancestors’ spirits in their descendants or other people. That means that when these kings were alive, they were famous, they were the chief and all people respected them .
The hierarchy was divided into:
· Kings and Queens
· Court
· Commoners and slaves
The royal family were at the top of the hierarchy and they were sacred. They had anything they desired, they were happy during their life and they wanted to continue living forever through their spirit. Only their phisical body died but their spirit survived. They borrowed human bodies, came into their mind and survived through their body.That why « TROMBA » appeared in Madagascar . The kings, their descendants or a famous spirits chose a person they wanted to enter into continue to exercise their power as a medium between death and life
Description of the TROMBA :
The spirits must borrow human bodies. The objectives of the TROMBA is to make the possessed person happy ; someone may be wealthy and happy because of the TROMBA. This person can see the future, can cure illness or undo poisoining.The spirits can make others happy or they can bring evil, they can cure differents sorts of diseases.
When a TROMBA enters in your body, you perfom his or her death-throes , when the spirit is in the body your mind changes to theirs and the spirits is alive in your body and can speak again. It can talk and exchanges ideas ; people call them « DADILAHY or DADY . »
So, we can find « TROMBA » in many parts of Madagascar but its name changes in each region and it’s always the same.
SOATOAVINA
By Karenichia (the guiding girl)
http://karenichia.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/save-the-malagasy-soatoavina/
In the past, Malagasy people used to obey and respect the raiamandreny. They held a very important place in the society and to this, they proved to be trustworthy and honest. The youth trusted in their intelligence; they gave good advices to those who needed it, they were fair in judging civil quarrels,.. there was no use defying them because most of the time they were right.
Nowadays, the soatoavina malagasy disappears little by little and we can see it in our everyday life. I know it’s because of the influence of the rich countries with their development and new technologies.Thus, everybody knows that we, malagasy, are not obliged to adopt the wa they live given the fact we wre not equal to them, I mean economically speaking. We can copy them sure, but within moderation, we have to consider the fact we have a limit to respect.
On one hand, the youth become very rude, impolite, rebellious and claim a certain freedom. They say they want to be independent too and they are eager to learn from their own failures. They totally ignore what they will have to face but unfortunately, they don’t want anymore the parents’ advice. Some parents who tried to give them the total freedom they claimed regret it because not only their daughter had to give birth to a baby at the age of 17 and their son became addicted to druggs. Both of tyhe two had to stop their studies and the parents couldn’t afford anymore to feed 5 persons without jobs, besides the cost of the treatments were very high. Those who treated their children as prisonners and gave them no liberty regretted too because their kids run away from home and never returned. Or even have become delinquent and criminals when the police could found them. Each parents know they have to adopt the medium kind of educationh rebellious young people need, they just don’t know how to deal with it, nor do I.
Moreover recently, it’s thye grandfathers ad married men who became infected by an unknown virus. They became sex addicted and prefer to rape little girls.It’s very sad but it’s the truth.You can’t disagree with me in that point, the newspapers are there to prove it. Instead of giving good advices and showing the youth a good model, they become worst than the criminals.
Where has gone the malagasy fahendrena and the respect of the malagasy soatoavina?
10 Comments, Comment or Ping
David Sasaki
These traditions are very interesting. What is the meaning of the brass hand that is carried during the Famadihana parades? Also, what does “raiamandreny” refer to? Adults?
Aug 1st, 2008
joan
Raiamandreny are the parents, elders, people who know the rules and traditions, VIP,…
for the brass hand , I think Layshyyu-Patrick knows more about this . Many bloggers have their versions of the meaning of Famadihana and we’re really proud that FBC are starting very strong and marking their presence with english written posts on Malagasy culture which is often made by visitors.
thanks for the post
Aug 1st, 2008
Janine Mendes-Franco
Fascinating posts! Thank you for sharing.
Aug 1st, 2008
Kristen
Thanks Rondro, I’ve never heard about tromba before. How long does the spirit enter the body? And would one spirit enter more than one body (does it come back once or multiple times)?
Aug 1st, 2008
Joan
I just transmitted all your questions to Rondro and Hkambora and also copied the comments on their personal blogs. Hopefully they will get in touch very soon.
Thanks again!
Aug 1st, 2008
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