Tribes: Betsileo

In Madagascar, there are eighteen tribes which are celebrated by our
culture and society. Those tribes are scattered among around the
regions of the island and all are searching for economic stability and
a high quality of life. Some of the tribes have moved to other parts
of the island for this reason. However, those tribes still retain
their cultural differences. They are easily known and identified
because of language differences and cultural differences. From the
eighteen tribes I appreciate one the most, even though it is not mine:
Betsileo. I love it for different reasons and I will share why I
chose it for this paper.

First, the Betsileo people are very close to their ancestors and give
this a high value. They believe that ancestors have the right to be
taken care of as a person. However, they do not believe that
ancestors have the power to help people. Unline Tsimihety (another
tribe)—Tsimihety believe that ancestors can help people and make
people sick if they (the ancestors) are not taken care of. Betsileo's
point of view is that ancestors left us their land so we should take
care of them. I think this is a preferable way to view ancestors.

Second, the Betsileo people are willing to accept being associated
with other people. In class they help they help you with our
exercises whenever there is something you do not know or understand.
If you have a problem of money or finances they give you money and
solve your problems. They are very sociable—if you join their
association you feel like you are in the arm of your mother. They
love you as their sister or brother.

Finally, the way of the Betsileo people is to raise their children
well. From the age of two they give their children school. They
spend all the money they have and use their property to support the
study of their children. Most of their sons and daughters are
graduated from universities and high schools—this is why most Betsileo
people are working in offices and are chairmen. I will raise my
children in such a way so that they will graduate one day. Betsileo
people know how to raise children.

To conclude, Betsileo is a tribe of Madagascar that most people
appreciate and enjoy. I notice that most Betsileo students are
courageous and on good terms with people from other tribes. They
behave well and they know how to make and love their friends.

Tribes: Antaimoro

Madagascar is a wonderful island with rich different tribes. There
are 18 different tribes in Madagascar. In this essay I will talk
about the Antaimoro. Antaimoro are one of the tribes of Madagascar—I
will discuss the origins of this tribe, their tradition and their
culture.

The meaning of the word Antaimoro is "the people in the South." They
are about 3.4 % of the population of Madagascar. Antaimoro people
live in the southest of Madagascar near Manakara and Vohipeno. In the
end of the 15th century, the Antaimoro arrived in Madagascar from
Arabia. Antaimoro speak the dialect Antaimoro. This is their
dialect—each part of Madagascar has its own dialect.
As we have seen, the Antaimoro have Arabic origins so this tribe has
Arabic and Islamic traditions. The way they wear their clothes is
decorated by the Koran. In the case of writing, Antaimoro have a form
of writing we call "sorabe" and this kind of writing is a form of
Arabic writing. It appeared before the Latin, however the "sorabe" is
disappearing. In their tradition, they have many "fady" or taboos—for
example they do not eat pork. Also, if a chicken is not cut by a man
the Antaimoro do not eat it. Also women are prohibited to cut the
animals such as chicken oxen and duck. Men and women live
separated—especially in Vohipeno it exists like this.
Antaimoro have a high talent of culture. There is a traditional art
which is very unique to this tribe that we call Antaimoro paper. They
make this paper with bamboo and sometimes they make it by pressed
metals. Most of the generations of these tribes know how to do this.
This tribe has a lot of knowledge also about traditional medicine. T
Hey can use plants to take care of their health—this does not mean
that they do not go to the hospital or to doctors but it is a cultural
way to take plants as medicine. They eat rice, like all Malagasy
people, and most of them are farmers especially of cattle.

To sum up, the tribes in Madagascar have great importance—even though
as Malagasy people we are one people. Each tribe has a different
culture, tradition and dialect. This particular tribe is exceptional
as the Antaimoro have a reputation to be the most respectful. They
way of wearing the "sorabe", their taboos and their paper are all
things that make this tribe different.