Sombim-piainako

Elaela tsy afaka niditra teto noho ny antony maro samihafa. Tafaverina indray anefa zao ka dia mitondra voadalana kely. Amn'ity lahatsoratra ity aho dia hitantara fohifohy ny zavatra hitako tany Ethiopia nandritra ny fialan-tsasatra teo.
Raha vao miresaka hoe Ethiopia ny olona dia sary mampalahelo avy hatrany no hita ao an-tsaina, sarin'olona mahia sy matin'ny hanoanana, olona miaina anatin'ny fahantrana tanteraka. mba nanana io fomba fijery sy fisaina io koa aho taloha fa niova tanteraka izany nony niaina nandritra ny 2 volana tany Ethiopia.
Eo amin'ny lafiny ara-tantara: Manana ny maha izy azy tokoa ity firenena ity raha ny tantara no jerena. Isan'ny firenena anisan'ny trananiny indrindra eto Afrika izy, ary noho izany dia manana anjara toeran lehibe eo amin'ny tantaran' i Afrika. Raha kristiana ianao, na manaraka ny fivavahana jody ohatra, dia hahita fa efa voasoratra ao amin'ny Baiboly, Testamenta Taloha ity firenena ity, izany hoe efa niara nisy tamin'ny firenena Ejiptiana izay namoritra ny vahoaka jody, taonjato marobe talohan'izao andro iainantsika izao. Ara-tantara dia izy no isan'ny firenena nanana miaramila, na andian-tafika natanjaka indrindra sy voarindra fahiny. Isan'ny voalaza ao amin'ny Baiboly koa ohatra ny Mpanjakavavy avy any Saba na ny mpanjakavavy Saba, arakaraka ny dikan-teny. Io mpanjakavavy io dia mpanjakavavin'i Ethiopia izay niainga avy tany mba hihaino ny fahendren'i Mpanjaka Salomona. Mbola hita ao Ethipia koa ankehitriny ny toerana nandalovan'ny fiaran'ny fanekena sy nitoerany fony izany fiaranny faneken'ny zanak'israely izany nandalo tany, araka ny fitantaran-dry zareo io.
Eo amin’ny lafiny fizahan-tany: manana zavatra tsara sy tokana aman-tany koa I Ethiopia raha fizahan-tany no jerena. Any ihany eto ambonin’ny tny no ahitana izany hoe trano fiangonana vita amin’ny Vato tokana izany. Any amintska ny Madagasikara, dia maro ireo fiangonana vita amininy vato. Fa ny tena mampiavaka ity fiangonana iray any Ethiopia, amin’ny toerana antsoina hoe Lalibela ity, dia vato tokana goavana dia goavana no norafetina sy nolavahina dia lasa trano. EFa-joro izy io ary angamba raha tsy diso ny fampitahako amin’ny habeny, dia mitovitovy amin’ny haben’ny Rovan’I Manjakamiadana izy. Tsy io ihany no tena mampalaza azy fa ao koa ny toerana hafa toa an’I Axum, Sodare, Nazreth, Debre Zeit … sy ny maro ty voatanisa izay tena mampiavaka sy manintona tokoa any Ethiopia.
Lafiny tanàna sy fanatsarana ny tanàna: araka ny efa fantatsika dia any Addis Ababa (adika hoe “new flower”) ny birao foiben’ny Fiombonambe Afrikana. Azo lazaina ho mendrika izany ny tanàna na miezaka ho mendrika izany. Manana tranobe maro izy, ary maro lalana migodana. Raha mampitaha tsotsotra aho amin’izay firenena afrikana rehetra hitako dia isan’ny mandroso tokoa I Ethiopia amin’ny fahatsaran’ny lalana. I South Africa no mitovitovy aminy: malalaka lalana sady tsara. Nahita an’I Zimbabwe, Kenya sy Tanzania aho, fa I South Africa ihany no tena hitako fa manana lalana mitovitovy amin’I Ethiopia. Marihina anefa fa I South Africa dia vao haingana dia haingana (manodidina ny 1990) vao nialan’ny vahiny mpanjanatany ny taniny, izay midika hoe maro ny zavatra navelan’ireo vahiny ireo tany amin-dry zareo. I Ethiopia anefa no isan’ny firenena lehibe iray aty Afrika tsy voazanaka ( colonised) na dia nisy aza ny andrana nataon’ny Italiana hanao izany. Nisy ny ady nandritra ny dimy taona, ary dia resy tosika ny Italiana ka tsy nahazanaka ity firenena ity.
Lafiny fomba fanoratra sy fiteny: manana ny sorany manokana I Ethiopia, ary manana ny fiteniny manokana koa. Amharic ny fitenin-dry zareo ary izany koa ny sorany. Mitovitovy amin’ny endri-tsoratra arabo ity soratra Amharic ity, saingy fotsiny manoratra avy any ankavia miankavanana toa antsika izy. Ny teny Amharic koa dia karazan-teny iombonan’ny Ethiopiana rehetra, na dia misy ihany azan y tsy mahay azy, indrindra ny avy any amin’ny toerana lavitry ny tanan-dehibe. Saingy noho ny fananany io teny io kosa dia tsy miteny fiteny vahiny loatra izy ireo. Na izany aza anefa dia misy ihany ireo miteny anglisy ary izany no nahafahako nifandray tamin’izy ireo.
Lafiny ara-pinoana: olona tena manam-pinoana ny Ethiopiana, amin’ny ankapobeny. Tsy mahagaga mihitsy ny mahita olona mivavaka eny an-dalam-be raha vao mahita fiangonana izy ireo. Ny finoana Orthodox no tena manjaka any, ary maro dia maro ny fiangonana orthodox raha eo Addis Ababa fotsiny no lazaina. Lasa mahazatra anao ny mahita olona mandohalika, na miankohoka, sy manao famantaran’ny hazofijaliana toy ny Katolika Romana eny an-dalam-be. Ho an-dry zareo dia raha vao mahita fiangonana izy, dia manao izay fihetsika izay. Maro koa anefa ny finoana silamo any, manaraka azy ny finoana protestanta izay ivondronan’ny fiangonana tsy miankina marobe ary isan’ny fiangonana bitika indrindra ny finoana Katolika Romana. Araka ny antontanisa dia latsaky ny 1 million ny mpino Katolika Romana amin’ny mponina efa ho 80 million.
Fanisan-taona: araka ny maha firenena tranainy an’I Ethiopia, dia manana ny fanisana androny manokana koa izy ireo, tsy mba nandray ny fanisan’andro kristiana na Eoropeana. Ity taona 2007 amintsika ity dia taona 1999 ho an-dry zareo, ary amin’ny 11 septembra izao izy ireo no mankalaza ny faha roa arivo taona (millennium) hany ka maro dia maro ireo Ethiopiana mamonjy fodiana amin’izao fotoana izao hamonjy ny fankalazana izany millennium izany.
Lafiny ara-ekonomika: toy ny firenena afrika rehetra, afatsy I South Africa angamba, dia isan’ny firenena mahantra I Ethiopia. Eto no mipetraka ilay fomba fieritraritry ny maro raha vao miresaka an’ I Ethiopia. Maro oloan mahantra any, maro mpangataka, nefa maro olona amin’ny lafim-piainana antonony koa (middle class) ary tsy vitsy ny mpanana. Rah any mikasika ny “kere” tany amin-dry zareo dia nisy tokoa, ary mbola re ankehitriny ny vokany, indrindra any amin’ny faritra manodidina ny renivohitra, nefa kosa efa anisan’ny tantara ho an’ny firenena izany ankehitriny. Hita any amin’ny ireo museum isan-karazany ny adim-piainana nandalovan-dry zareo nandritra iny kere iny. Zavatra iray mba nanaitra koa dia ny sandam-bolan-dry zareo. Raha eto Afrika dia izy no faharoa amin’ny haavon’ny sandambola manaraka an’I South Africa. Ny US$ 1 dia misanda Birr 8 (Birr no anaram-bolan-dry zareo) raha any South Africa dia misanda manodidina Rand 6.5. Ankoatra izay eto Afrika dia avo dia avo ny sandan’ny Dolara. Ny any amintsika angamba izao dia Ar 1800.
Ny mponina amin’ny ankapobeny: manaitra ihany koa ny endriky ny mponina any Ethiopia amin’ny ankapobeny raha ampitahaina amin’ny afrikana rehetra noho ny fisian’ny fototra Arabo amin’ny ran-dry zareo angamba. Manifinify izy ireo, zarazara hoditra, ary manana volo lava. Lavitra azy ny haben’ny Kenyans na ny South Africans n any Nigerians izay malaza amin’ny halebiazana, indrindra ny vehivavy. Mitovitovy amin’ny Malagasy amin’ny ankapobeny. Hany ka sarotra ho azy ireo ny mamantatra na Malagasy ianao na Ethiopiana raha tsy miteny. Ho ahy manokana dia noheverin-dry zareo ho Ethiopiana mihitsy aho, hany ka maro izy ireo no tonga dia miresaka amin’ny teny Amharic tamiko. Ohatra iray tena misongadina amin’ny fisian’ny fitoviana ny fandehananay tany amin’ny museums. Toy ny amin’ny firenena rehetra, raha vao hafa firenena ianao dia mandoa vola ambonin’ny tompo-tany, ka raha Birr 1 no alohan’ny tompo-tany, dia Birr 30 kosa no alohan’ny vahiny. Matetika anefa tamin’ireny famangiana ireny no mandoa mitovy amin’ny tompotany ny tenanay satria tsy fantany fa vahiny. Efa miresaka museum ihany, dia tsar any manamarika fa aa amin’ny National Museum ao Addis no ahitana ilay taolam-balo izay efa lasa fossil an’ilay olombelona voalohany teto ambonin’ny tany, araka ny filazan’ny siansa antsoiny hoe “Lucy” izay niaina tany amin’ny 3 million taona taloha tany.
Lafiny kolontsaina: isan’ny firenena fatra-pandala ny fomban-drazana I Ethiopia, na sakafo izany, na dihy, na hira… Antsoina hoe “injera” ny foto-tsakafon-dry zareo, karazana mofo mitapelapelaka ary mihorongorona izay, toy ireny mof tapotsatroka any amintsika ireny. Vitany amin’ny voan-javatra madinika dia madinika izay ilay izy, totoina ary atao karazan’izay mofo izay, dia aroso miaraka amin’ny saosy isan-karazany. Na dia mipetraka any amin’ny toeran-kafa izy ireo, dia mbol io ihany no sakafony saingy ovainy ho vary kosa no hanamboarana ilay izy. Raha ao Addis manokana dia mameno tanàna ny traditional restaurants, ary toy ny tsy nandalo tany Ethiopia ianao raha tsy nahita izany hoe dihy Ethiopiana izay, toy ny tsy nandalo tany ianao raha tsy nahitaizany hoe coffee ceremony zany.
Izany sy izany no harena miafina eto Afrika, notsongaiko avy tao Ethiopia, tsy lavitra antsika nefa tsy fantatsika. Manaitra tokoa ny avy any amin’ny firenena hafa, fa manana ny maha izy azy koa I Afrika. Ny Eoropeana sy ny firenena tandrefana no mihazakazaka mijery izany harena misy aty Afrika izany. Matetika tamin’ireo toerana maro notsidihinay, dia vazaha no tafara-dalana taminay tany. Toa tsy manaitra antsika ny harena misy eto Afrika. Aza varimbrian’ny lavitra ary, fa andeha hozahantsika sy hankafizintsika ity kontinanta afrika ity, raha misy ny fahafahana manao izany, mba tsy ho tompon-trano mihono isika.
Ny sary miseho eto dia nalaina tany amin'ny Restaurant iray mampiseho ny toerana fanaovana Coffee ceremony.

Somary lavalava moa ilay article nalefako farany ka izay no naha elaela indray ny fandefasana ny tohiny. Indro ary alefa indray ny manaraka. Ny fahazoana ny fiainana aorina'ny fahafatesana voalaza ao @ tesatamenta talohaindrya ary no arosoko eto.

Ialana tsiny fa ireo naoty rehetra sy ny loharano nanampy t@ fikarohana, fa mbola hapetrako daholo kosa rehefa vita ny famoahako ny lahatsoratra rehetra.

 

THE AFTER-LIFE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The belief in the Old Testament is that life comes from God, and when we die, it goes back to God. Our life comes from the breath of God as it is said in Genesis 2:7: "then Lord God formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." It is also said in Job 33:4: "the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." This breath leaves us and goes back to God at the hour of our death (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

When man dies there is nothing which continues about him, his thinking ends and he cannot plan anything anymore (Ps 145:4). Dead persons know nothing and even the memory of them are lost (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6). Following all these passages, a broad conclusion can be drawn: the after-life is not believed or does not exist in the Old Testament.

However, some passages talk about the Sheol, a place which is depicted as in the depth of the earth. There where go all dead people. In this place the dead person is half alive, because they can see God as it is said in Job 19: 25-27; "for I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side and my eyes shall behold, and not another." Only a living person is able to see. A complete died one cannot do anything, especially the act of seeing. But those who are in Sheol cannot praise God and thank him. Only the living people can do that as Isaiah says in Is38:18-19: "For Sheol cannot thank thee, death cannot praise thee…, the living, the living, he thanks thee as I do this day." What is important for the people is to praise and to thank God, as a living person, not to see him only. And "those who believed in Sheol thought that the half alive were worse off than the living."

As all dead people go to the Sheol, God can deliver the righteous from there: "But God will ransom my soul from the power of the Sheol, for he will receive me." (Ps 49:15). Also, another passage shows that Samuel appears to Saul, the king, when the medium at Endor brings him up. He is coming up out of the earth and he speaks to Saul. But he is not happy because Saul disturbs him. So he predicts the death of the king Saul in the following day (cf. 1Sam 28:8-19). These conceptions of the Sheol and this story of the king Saul and Samuel show that even those who were died are not completely died. They still live somewhere but their life is not a full life, it is a half-life. And we can draw that at least the Old Testament believes in the after-life even if it is not better than the earthly life.

Some scholars try to deepen the investigation when they see these righteous men who were killed or suffering. Paul Badham quotes Professor Bright and says:

The ancestors of the latter Pharisees, where driven to embrace belief in the future life, because only so could the justice of God, which they refuse to question, be harmonized with facts of experience. The persecution of Antiochus cast the deciding vote. As righteous men were brutally done to death, of lost their lives fighting for the faith, belief that God would vindicate his justice beyond the grave became an absolute necessity for the majority of Jews. In the second century and after, as we see from I Enoch, the testament of the twelve patriarchs, and other writings, belief in general resurrection and a final judgment gained the upper hand. It was a new doctrine, but it was one that was needed to fill out the structure of Israel’s faith, if that faith was to remain tenable. Though the Sadducees never acquiesced in it, it became an accepted belief among Jews and was triumphantly reaffirmed in the Christian gospels.

 

The after-life is the continuation of one’s personally relationship with God in his or her earthly life. The analysis of the life of Job shows that. Job’s prayer tries to recall that his relationship with God is always there and he was not missed by God. These following passages show that: Job 10:8, 10-13; 35:18; 29:2-3; 23:11-12; and also some passages in Ecclesiastes (3:19; 9:1; 2:11; 2:17). The belief tries to present that:

If man is purposefully created by an all powerful God, and if man can enjoy a personal relationship with God which God values, and if each man as unique individual really matters to the all powerful and all loving God, then God simply will not allow that individual and that relationship to be destroyed finally by death.

 

The relationship cannot be destroyed by death. Even death is supposed to be the one which is most powerful enemy of human being, it cannot harm our relationship with God. God does not allow death to destroy what he cherishes. Ps 73: 23-28

So when the Old Testament looks at man, it concludes "he cannot live beyond the grave but when it looks towards God and ponders over the relationship between God and man, it moves in a direction which must, and which did, lead men towards a future hope." But in the Old Testament, it is not really said where the souls of the dead go after death. It is only said that they will go back to God.

Inty indray ary ny tohin'ny lahatsoratra. Hiresaka ny momba ny famadihana indray aho eto, ary tsoriko fa izay niainako nandritra ny famadihanay mihitsy no zaraiko eto. Rehefa izany de arosoko koa ny fifandraisany @ finoany ny fiainan-ko avy.

Famadihana or exhumation

This is one of the Merina’s tribe which is practiced everywhere in Imerina enintoko (the six province of I Merina) which includes Avaradrano, Vakinisisaony, Vakinakaratra, Marovatana, Vonizongo and Ambodirano. This customs is to wrap again the corpses with new clothes or bringing some members of the family who were died far from the family tomb and buried there. It is generally performed during the cold season in Madagascar, from June to August. In a family, if it is a question of wrapping again new clothes of the corpses, it is repeated every five or seven or nine or eleven years. The odd number is considered as good and lucky number by the Malagasy. To do a "famadihana" is not an easy thing. The family prepares it months or years before because of the expenses. The Merina do many expenses to perform a "famadihana". They buy and kill cattle and pigs, many drinks, rice to feed the people during the feast. They call it "vary be menaka", rice full or plenty of oil. It lasts two or three days and it is not only the family who rejoice but the entire village. All are invited to join the family. Also, there is sometimes more than one family who perform a "famadihana" in a village. They ask traditional musicians to warm the feast during these three days and, nowadays, they use tape player or disk player and amplifier to dance during the night.

Generally, the process of the "famadihana" is like the following in my area, in the South West of Imerina. Members of the family inform the entire village that they are going to do a "famadihana" on a determined date. Then they inform the neighboring village and al the extended family. When the date is arrived, the place for dancing and eating is already prepared. The first day is the day of welcoming those who live far from the village. Since this moment, they already feed the people. I also remember that every time we do a "famadihana", the elders go to the tomb in the evening of the first day to "talk" to the ancestors and ask them "not to go for a walk" during the following days because their descendants will come there to give them new clothes and to ask them blessing. They second day is the day for the exhumation. Most of the time, it is performed in the afternoon. So since earlier in the morning, the feeding of the people goes on and it does not stop until the time to go to the tomb. The great moment is coming now and all the people are gathered around the tomb. This latter is already opened by all sons-in-law. They take out one after one the corpses in the tomb, call their name and ask the descendants to take their ancestor. The descendants receive them in straw mats. They bring them around the tomb and dance with them. After dancing with the ancestor – a sign of rejoicing – the daughters and the daughters-in-law have the "opportunity" to hold them and to put them on their lap. There, they wrap the corpse - which is now only bones and dusts (or sometimes a kind of mud, if the time of its burial was less than four years) – with the new clothes that they bring. During this moment, all the descendants are around the corpse, their ancestor, and they "talk" to him or her, ask blessing, renew the relationship among the descendants if there was quarrel. They stay there till the sunset and they put again the corpses in the tomb. It is always the duty of the sons-in-law who put all in order before leaving the place. When the ancestors rejoin their places, the feast continues in the village during the night. On the following day, the feeding of the people continues, and the time of the "show" for the family comes. This is the moment that the family shows to the people their unity and their wealth. They show that they are blessed and they can do something great. They invited traditional artists, called "mpihira gasy" (Malagasy singers) to give a spectacle to the entire village. They must be two groups and each group tries their best to tell a message of unity for the family and for the village in their songs and stories. It is good to mention that it is too expensive to invite traditional artists. But people do it to show that there are wealthy.

 

The relationship of the famadihana and the after life

This customs shows that for the Merina, those who were died are still alive in another life. That is why they can talk to them and ask them blessing. The famadihana is a way of presenting respect to the ancestors. For them, the ancestors are the elders, the source of life. It is an occasion for all members of the family to renew their relationship. If there is fight or dispute in the family, this is the occasion for them to "swear" in front of the ancestors that they are going to live in peace and in harmony to be worthy receive their blessing. They know that all that they say are heard by this "person" (the ancestor) in front of them, so they do their best to keep it. Not to obey what you have said to the ancestor is worse than not to obey a living person. The ancestors live in their own life but they have power in our earthly life. That is why the Merina ask blessing and pardon from them.

Curious enough, the Merina believe that the ancestors can ask them something, material things and they obey their requests. Sometimes, some elders say that one of the ancestor asks him a hut because their place is too sunny; some ask for clothes because they are cold; some ask for drinks because there is a long time that they did not drink; some ask for sweets or honey because their mouth is bitter… when they obey on these requests they believe that they will receive blessing from them. And if they do not obey, there will be a disaster which may happen to the family. So, if they ask a hut or honey, or sweets, they bring these things to the tomb and talk to the ancestors not to disturb them (because they have done their duty) but to give them blessing. If the ancestors said that they were cold, it is a big case. All the family should have a reunion because there should be a "famadihana" before the regular time. For example, the family is used to have "famadihana" every nine years, but it is only in the sixth, so they have to plan to do it the following year. It is not good for the ancestors to be cold for a long time like all living persons. They should be given new clothes. When they obey all the requests of the ancestors, they feel happy because they accomplish their duty as "zana-drazana" (sons and daughters of the ancestors) and they believe that the blessing will come.

Before the "famadihana", when the elders ask the ancestors "not to go for a walk", they show their belief that the ancestors have the habit to go for a walk to visit their descendants, or to see how they take care of the land that they leave for them. These acts manifest their belief in the existence of the after-life.

Indro indray ary fa aroso eto ny tohin'ilay fanadihadiana. Misaotra ireo zay efa nanao tsikera t@ tapany voalohany. Mbola ampirisihina ny rehetra handray anjara satria de ny hevitry ny maro hono mahataka-davitra. Mety hanampy ahy handalina kokoa ny tsikera ataonareo toy izao. Misaotra e!

 

The tomb

The Merina are really worried about their tomb. They take care of it and spend a lot of money for that. The tomb in Imerina (where the Merina live) is made by big stones and a big hole commonly, with a house of stones upon it. A description is made by John Mack in his book “Madagascar: island of the ancestors” and he says:

Merina tombs are substantial rectangular structures made of uncut dry stone which rise to perhaps 3m or so above the surface of the ground and may cover an area of 50 sq m. large slabs of stone form the door and the roof, which was, in the highest ranked demes, sometimes topped by a small model house known as “tranomanara” (cold house). The external surrounds of the door are frequently decorated with a mixture of floral or geometrical designs in relief… these tombs are also subterranean so that, descending into the sepulcher, an underground chamber is entered which has stone shelving, arranged in tiers to receive the shrouded corpses.[1]

 

Most of the time, the Merina tombs are situated near of or not far from the ancestral house or the big family house. Sometimes they are seen in the same compound. An investigation made by Maurice Bloch shows that the Merina spend more money to build a tomb than a house.[2] In my case, I have four family tombs: two from my mother and two from my father. But which is supposed to be my family tomb is the one from the father of my father. And all the members of my family should be buried there. Three of these tombs are near our ancestral house, and the one is a bit far, near the former village (which nowadays is already abandoned).

 

The relationship of the tomb and the after-life

-The Merina build a strong tomb to show the permanence of the life after the earthly life. They believe that we “live” longer than our earthly life after we die. Therefore, we have to build a permanent house for this long life. The Merina, as far as I know, do not define clearly what kind of life they have after the earthly life. They simply say that there is another life, a long one. One of the beliefs also says that people go to “Ambondrombe” when they die. “Ambondrombe” is the pick of a high mountain in the southern of Imerina.

-They spend a lot of money to build a tomb because they think that it is worth to spend more to a long lasting life that to the passing one. We do all things we can do to earn money not only to sustain our life but also to prepare our future life, the life after this earthly life.

-They build their tombs just near their ancestral house, or the big family house to show that life begins in the house and is continuing in the tomb. The Merina should be always together therefore, as the proverb says “Velona iray trano, maty iray fasana” which means “alive in the same house, died in the same tomb”. Life does not finish in the house but continues in the tomb. The Merina, like all Malagasy people, has this strong way of living together, bound by the spirit of “fihavanana” (translated broadly by togetherness and relationship). This strong link between each members of the family still continues even if the Merina has died. We have to be buried in the family tomb, and during the “famadihana” or exhumation, those who can be put together are wrapped in a same cloth.

Inty indray ary misy fanadihadiana kely nataoko mikasika ny fahatsapan'ny Malagasy ny fiainana aorian'ny fahafatesana. Ny antony tena nanoratako ity de satria tsy azon'ny olona aty Afrika mihitsy izany hoe mamadika (manao famadihana) izany. Hany ka narosoko ity hevitra ity mba hodinihin'ny rehetra. Ny toerana nanaovako fanadihadiana dia ny Merina tribe. Miala tsiny aho raha voatrery mampiasa io voambolana io. Tsy sanatria fanavakavahana akory, fa ho an'ny Afrikana de mizara ho foko maromaro izy, ka mba hahazoan-dry zareo ny fanadihadiana nataoko de nifidy foko iray aho.  Ary izay haiko tsara no nohadihadiako, dia ny foko Merina mba hanehoako @ olona aty Afrika sombiny @ fahalalan'ny malagasy ny fiainana aorian'ny fahafatesana.

Tsy ny Merina rehetra koa anefa no mamadika, satria raha ao @ fianakaviako fotsiny ohatra de ny avy @ papanay no mamadika fa ny avy @ mamanay tsy manao izany. Nefa nifidy ity lohahevitra ity aho mba ahafahako manohana ny hevitra tiako ambara. Raha mety aminao moa ny mamaky azy de vakio tsara, raha toa ka mifanohitra @ fomba fijerinao, ka mety hanafintohina de avereno amiko ny ahy fa tsy maninona.

Hozarazaraiko maromaro koa ity fanadihadiana ity satria somary lavalava ihany, ary ampifandraisiko kely @ hevitra voalazan'ny Baiboly, indrindra ny Testamenta taloha izy, satria izaho koa kristiana ihany.

Indro ary arosoko eto ny Fampidirana sy ny sombiny @ tapany voalohany.

INTRODUCTION

 

Generally, the Malagasy believe that there is another life after this earthly life. Some tribe, like the Mahafaly, a tribe that lives in the South part of Madagascar, shows that belief in their tombs. These tombs are famous by their splendid sculptures that they put upon them. These sculptures tell the story of the life of those who are buried in them. Also their tombs are well painted and well built. But if you look at their house, even a boy can destroy it. It is made by bush and few woods. This is to show that the house is not the real place of residence. Another tribe, the Antandroy shows their belief in the after-life during the burial. When a man dies, all his cattle are killed by their relatives and they feed the people by the meet. But all the head of the cattle are put upon the tomb where the man is buried. This is to show that his wealth follows him in his life after death. The living people, his relatives did not steal it. They have given it to him. In their culture, the Merina tribe – where I am coming from – has many ways to show this belief of the existence of the after life. Here, in this presentation and short analysis, I am going to show how the Merina tribe conceives this after life through two main concepts. The first is the tomb, which the Merina takes as one among the sacred places, and the second is the “famadihana” or exhumation, a custom which is practiced in this tribe related with the dead. After that I am going to try to show how the Old Testament conceives the after life. And finally, I am going to relate this latter with the Malagasy’s conception (or the Merina’s in particularly) of the life after death.

 

 

 

GENERAL CONCEPTION OF THE AFTER-LIFE AMONG THE MERINA

 

The Merina tribe

The Merina tribe lives in the center of Madagascar especially in the province of Antananarivo where we find the capital of Madagascar. According to the investigations done by historians and archeologists, the Malagasy came from many parts in the world. The first people who came to Madagascar was from Malaysia, Indonesia and India. The second comers were from Arabia and Persia. And the third one came from Africa.

Because Madagascar is an island, those who came first left little by little the cost and reach the centre, the highland. While they stayed there, the second part came and mixed with them. And the third part did the same. It is worth to stress here that the first comers were with their families and clans. They came in big numbers. And they were able to keep their language. The second were traders. They had to adapt themselves in the customs and language of the first occupants so that they could do their business. The third part came mainly from slaves’ trade. And for this latter, it was an obligation to know the language of those who had already occupied the place. Therefore, the major part of the ancestors of the Merina came from the east but they are a mixed population, like all Malagasy. Rakoto Ratsimamanga, historian and famous Malagasy medicine doctor during the 20^th century, is quoted by Maurice Bloch: “60 per cent of the Merina are of an Indonesian-mongoloid type… the rest of the population is described as European type (30 per cent), Oceanian Negroid type (8 per cent) and African Negroid (2 per cent).”[1] This description is surely not sufficient, but it is one among many descriptions which have been made to show the mixture of the Merina population and the littleness of the African root in it. That is the reason why this type of customs that I am going to explain latter on is not found in almost Africa. But it shows that the Merina believe in the existence of the after life.

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