Mahafaly
Encyclopedia
The Mahafaly are an ethnic group of Madagascar
that inhabit the plains of the Betioky
-Ampamihy area. Their name means either "those who make taboos" or "those who make happy", although the former is considered more likely by linguists. They are believed to have arrived in Madagascar
from southeastern Africa around the 12th century and managed to preserve autonomy during the reign of the Merina kingdom
. The Mahafaly speak a dialect of the Malagasy language
, which is a branch of the Malayo-polynesian language group
derived from the Barito languages
, spoken in southern Borneo
.
Mahafaly are known for the large tombs they build to honor dead chiefs and kings. They are large stone squares surmounted by wooden sculptures and heaps of zebu
horns; the greater the importance of the dead being buried, the greater the number of sculpture and horns placed on the tomb. The sculptures are termed aloalo, a word that implies the meaning "messenger" or "intermediary", possibly with reference to the interconnecting role they play between the worlds of the living and of the dead. One of the largest Mahafaly tombs is that of king Tsiampody, which is decorated with horns from over 700 zebus.
Ethnic groups of Madagascar
The number of ethnic groups of Madagascar has long been a point of contention and debate. The island of Madagascar is predominantly populated by people broadly classified as belonging to the broader Malagasy ethnic identity...
that inhabit the plains of the Betioky
Betioky
Betioky is a town in Atsimo-Andrefana Region, Madagascar....
-Ampamihy area. Their name means either "those who make taboos" or "those who make happy", although the former is considered more likely by linguists. They are believed to have arrived in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
from southeastern Africa around the 12th century and managed to preserve autonomy during the reign of the Merina kingdom
Merina Kingdom
The Merina Kingdom was a pre-colonial south-eastern African state that dominated most of what is now Madagascar. It spread outward from Imerina, the central highlands region primarily inhabited by the Merina ethnic group with a modern and historic political capital at Antananarivo and a spiritual...
. The Mahafaly speak a dialect of the Malagasy language
Malagasy language
Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:...
, which is a branch of the Malayo-polynesian language group
Malayo-Polynesian languages
The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. These are widely dispersed throughout the island nations of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean, with a smaller number in continental Asia...
derived from the Barito languages
Barito languages
The Barito languages are a score of Dayak languages of Borneo, and most famously Malagasy, the national language of Madagascar. They are named after the Barito River....
, spoken in southern Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
Mahafaly are known for the large tombs they build to honor dead chiefs and kings. They are large stone squares surmounted by wooden sculptures and heaps of zebu
Zebu
Zebu , sometimes known as humped cattle, indicus cattle, Cebu or Brahmin cattle are a type of domestic cattle originating in South Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent. They are characterised by a fatty hump on their shoulders, drooping ears and a large dewlap...
horns; the greater the importance of the dead being buried, the greater the number of sculpture and horns placed on the tomb. The sculptures are termed aloalo, a word that implies the meaning "messenger" or "intermediary", possibly with reference to the interconnecting role they play between the worlds of the living and of the dead. One of the largest Mahafaly tombs is that of king Tsiampody, which is decorated with horns from over 700 zebus.