Antoetra is a town in Amoron'i Mania

Amoron'i Mania

Amoron'i Mania is a region in central Madagascar bordering Vakinankaratra Region in north, Atsinanana in northeast, Vatovavy-Fitovinany in southeast, Haute Matsiatra in south, Atsimo-Andrefana in southwest and Menabe in west. It is divided into four districts: Ambatofinandrahana, Ambositra,...

 Region in central Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

 42 kilometers southeast of Ambositra

Ambositra

Ambositra is a city in central Madagascar.Ambositra is the capital of the Amoron'i Mania region, and of Ambositra District....

. It is inhabited by the Zafimaniry

Zafimaniry

The Zafimaniry are a sub-group of the Betsileo ethnic group of Madagascar inhabiting the forested mountains of the southern central highlands. The Zafimaniry speak a dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages,...

 tribe, a subgroup of the Betsileo

Betsileo

The Betsileo are a highland ethnic group of Madagascar, the third largest in terms of population, numbering around 1.5 million and making up about 12.1 percent of the population. Their name means "The Many Invincible Ones" which they chose for themselves after the failed invasion of Ramitraho...

 tribe.

Many tourists come to the town each day to hike the nearby mountains and visit other Zafimaniry villages and to purchase souvenirs made from wood, which the tribe is well known for doing in Madagascar.

In 2003, the Zafimaniry and their work with wood were considered to be Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

The Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness on intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and the local people who sustain these forms of cultural...

, a list maintained by UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

to protect and preserve their way of life which is unfortunately being spoiled by tourism.

Antoetra is the capital for the county of Antoetra (Commune Rurale d'Antoetra). An estimated 1,100 people live in the town.

External links

• UNESCO Proclamation 2003: "The Woodcrafting Knowledge of the Zafimaniry" Accessed 25 Oct 2009