Tribes: Betsileo (Perspective Two)

Betsileo are the third largest among the Madagascar ethnic groups and
they inhabit the high plateau area around Finanarantsoa and Ambalavao.
The word Betsileo means "the invincible one" and the population is
about one million. They practice exhumation, traditional marriage and
religious practices. This is their custom of life.

Betsileo have some traditions and they respect very much their
customs. As well as the famadiana (reburial ceremony) which was
adopted from the Merina after the unification of Madagascar another
important Betsileo belief is "Hasina" a force that is believed to flow
from the land. The ancestors in the society is they have traditional
skills are thought to be able to manipulate the "Hasina" to achieve
cures and other positives effects. Famadiana, the funeral is a
tradition that we find among the Betsileo and some other tribes of
Madagascar. It is a custom based on the belief that the spirits of
the dead finally join the world of the ancestors after complete
corrosion of the body. In the country, reburial or famadiana occurs
periodically, every seven years in a grand ceremony involving all
members of a family group. The shrouds of silk or "lambamena"
covering the remains of the bodies are renewed.

Betsileo have a traditional marriage—so when they marry, a steer
(vodiondry) is traditionally given by the family of the bride and the
couple may reside in the wife's village if land is more abundant or
men are scarce. They have specific customs which differ by ethnic
group and the Betsileo will arrange a marriage only after scrutinizing
at least three generations of the family of the potential partner. If
they are satisfied with their findings, the family will consult and
astrologer to set a date. The young Betsileo do a sport which is
traditional and called "savika". It is like bullfighting and they
will measure their strength with a zebu (cow) and this sport is
violent and dangerous. The young participate especially to attract
the girl's attention.

They have some religious practices including communicating with the
divine, healing or astrology. Illness, misfortune and financial
hardships are frequently considered the discontent of ancestral
spirits. They have rituals and ancestral tombs which are considered
sacred places—particularly the royal tombs and most villages have a
sacred tree or some other place. The dead are considered
intermediaries between the living and the supreme god. It is viewed
as having the power and it is important for each member of a family
which is why they do the "famadiana". They have a traditional
herbalist, local remedies for the treatment of specific illnesses. A
divine may evoke the power of the ancestors to affect cures, sorcerers
use amulets, stones or other objects to cure. Astrologers understand
destiny (vintana) so they are consulted to establish auspicious dates
for important activities.

To sum up, the tribe Betsileo respects their customs until now—but
some of them who were born in another region or sometimes forget their
traditions and adopt another culture.