Malagasy people
Encyclopedia
The Malagasy ethnic group forms nearly the entire population of Madagascar
. They are divided into two subgroups: the "Highlander" Merina
, Sihanaka and Betsileo
of the central plateau around Antananarivo
, Alaotra (Ambatondrazaka) and Fianarantsoa
, and the côtiers ("coastal dwellers") elsewhere in the country. This division has its roots in historical patterns of settlement. The original Austronesian
settlers from Borneo
arrived between the third and tenth centuries and established a network of principalities in the Central Highlands
region conducive to growing the rice
they had carried with them on their outrigger canoes. Sometime later, a large number of settlers arrived from East Africa
and established kingdoms along the relatively unpopulated coastlines.
The difference in ethnic origins remains somewhat evident between the highland and coastal regions. In addition to the ethnic distinction between highland and coastal Malagasy, one may speak of a political distinction as well. Merina monarchs in the late 18th and early 19th century united the Merina principalities and brought the neighboring Betsileo
people under their administration first. They later extended Merina control over the majority of the coastal areas as well. The military resistance and eventual defeat of most of the côtier communities assured their subordinate position vis-a-vis the Merina-Betsileo alliance. The French colonial administration capitalized on and further exacerbated these political inequities by appropriating existing Merina governmental infrastructure to run their colony. This legacy of political inequity dogged the people of Madagascar after gaining independence in 1960; candidates' ethnic and regional identities have often served to help or hinder their success in democratic elections.
Within these two broad ethnic and political groupings, the Malagasy were historically further subdivided into specifically named ethnic groups, who were primarily distinguished from one another on the basis of cultural practices. These were namely agricultural, hunting, or fishing practices; construction of domiciles
; music
; hair and clothing styles; and local customs or taboo
s (known in the Malagasy language as fady). The number of such groups in Madagascar has been debated, and in reality the practices that distinguished many of these groups are less prevalent than they were in the past. Nonetheless, many Malagasy are proud to proclaim their association with one or several of these groups as part of their own cultural identity.
s in Morropón (Piura
), a city in northern Peru
, that are of Malagasy descent and call themselves Mangaches or Malgaches. The section of Piura is called la Mangachería.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. They are divided into two subgroups: the "Highlander" Merina
Merina
The Merina are an ethnic group from Madagascar. The Merina are concentrated in the Highlands and speak the official dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages, spoken in southern Borneo. Their ancestors, the...
, Sihanaka and 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...
of the central plateau around Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, Alaotra (Ambatondrazaka) and Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa is a city in south central Madagascar.Fianarantsoa is the capital of Haute Matsiatra Region. It was built in the early 19th century by the Merina as the administrative capital for the newly conquered Betsileo kingdoms....
, and the côtiers ("coastal dwellers") elsewhere in the country. This division has its roots in historical patterns of settlement. The original Austronesian
Austronesian people
The Austronesian-speaking peoples are various populations in Oceania and Southeast Asia that speak languages of the Austronesian family. They include Taiwanese aborigines; the majority ethnic groups of East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Madagascar, Micronesia, and Polynesia,...
settlers from 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....
arrived between the third and tenth centuries and established a network of principalities in the Central Highlands
Central Highlands (Madagascar)
The Central Highlands, Central High Plateau, or Hauts-Plateaux are a mountainous biogeographical region in central Madagascar. They include the contiguous part of the island's interior above 800 m altitude...
region conducive to growing the rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
they had carried with them on their outrigger canoes. Sometime later, a large number of settlers arrived from East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
and established kingdoms along the relatively unpopulated coastlines.
The difference in ethnic origins remains somewhat evident between the highland and coastal regions. In addition to the ethnic distinction between highland and coastal Malagasy, one may speak of a political distinction as well. Merina monarchs in the late 18th and early 19th century united the Merina principalities and brought the neighboring 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...
people under their administration first. They later extended Merina control over the majority of the coastal areas as well. The military resistance and eventual defeat of most of the côtier communities assured their subordinate position vis-a-vis the Merina-Betsileo alliance. The French colonial administration capitalized on and further exacerbated these political inequities by appropriating existing Merina governmental infrastructure to run their colony. This legacy of political inequity dogged the people of Madagascar after gaining independence in 1960; candidates' ethnic and regional identities have often served to help or hinder their success in democratic elections.
Within these two broad ethnic and political groupings, the Malagasy were historically further subdivided into specifically named ethnic groups, who were primarily distinguished from one another on the basis of cultural practices. These were namely agricultural, hunting, or fishing practices; construction of domiciles
Architecture of Madagascar
The architecture of Madagascar is unique in Africa, bearing strong resemblance to the construction norms and methods of Southern Borneo from which the earliest inhabitants of Madagascar are believed to have emigrated...
; music
Music of Madagascar
The highly diverse and distinctive music of Madagascar has been shaped by the musical traditions of Southeast Asia, Africa, Arabia, England, France and the United States as successive waves of settlers have made the island their home...
; hair and clothing styles; and local customs or taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
s (known in the Malagasy language as fady). The number of such groups in Madagascar has been debated, and in reality the practices that distinguished many of these groups are less prevalent than they were in the past. Nonetheless, many Malagasy are proud to proclaim their association with one or several of these groups as part of their own cultural identity.
- "Highlander" ethnic groups
- Merina
- SihanakaSihanakaThe Sihanaka are an ethnic group in Madagascar concentrated around Lake Alaotra and the town of Ambatondrazaka. Their name means the "people of the swamps" in reference to the marshlands around Lake Alaotra that they inhabit...
- Betsileo
- ZafimaniryZafimaniryThe 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,...
- Zafimaniry
- Coastal ethnic groups ("Côtiers")
- AntambahoakaAntambahoakaThe Antambahoaka are the least numerous ethnic group in Madagascar. They inhabit a small region along the southeastern coast of Madagascar near Mananjary and share their origins with the partially Arab Antaimoro people....
- AntanosyAntanosy peopleThe Antanosy are a Malagasy ethnic group who primarily live in the Anosy region of southeastern Madagascar, though there are also Antanosy living near Bezaha, where some of the Antanosy moved after the Imerina conquered Anosy...
or Tanosy - Antaimoro or Temoro or Antemoro
- AntaisakaAntaisaka peopleAntaisaka are an ethnic group of Madagascar living on the south-eastern coast.The Antaisaka 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....
or Antesaka - Betsimisaraka
- MahafalyMahafalyThe 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...
- Sakalava
- AntankaranaAntankaranaThe Antankarana is an ethnic group of Madagascar that inhabits the northern tip of Madagascar around Antsiranana. Their name means "the people of the tsingy," the limestone rock formations that distinguish their traditional territory...
- Tsimihety
- AntandroyAntandroyThe Antandroy are a traditionally nomadic ethnic group of Madagascar inhabiting the arid southern part of the island called Androy roughly located between Amboasary and Beloha and between the ocean and Bekily. Their name means "people of the thorns" in reference to the spiny thickets of endemic...
or Tandroy - BaraBara peopleThe Bara people are a Malagasy ethnic group living in the southern part of the central plateaus of Madagascar, in the Toliara Province, especially in the Ihosy-Betroka area. They are estimated to account for 3% of the overall malagasy population. Along with Sakalava, Bara are one of the two...
- TanalaTanalaThe Tanala are a Malagasy ethnic group that inhabit a forested region of south-east Madagascar. Their name means "people of the forest." The Tanala speak a dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages, spoken in...
- Mikea
- BezanozanoBezanozanoThe Bezanozano are believed to be one of the earliest Malagasy ethnic groups to establish themselves in Madagascar, where they inhabit an inland area between the Betsimisaraka lowlands and the Merina highlands...
- Vezo
- AntaifasyAntaifasyThe Antaifasy are an ethnic group of Madagascar inhabiting the southeast coastal region around Farafangana. Their name means "people of the sand."...
or Antefasy - MakoaMakoaThe Makoa are an ethnic group in Madagascar descended from people of Mozambique of Makua origin who had been captured and brought to Madagascar as slaves...
- Antambahoaka
Malagasy diaspora
There is a population (estimated to be around 7,000) of Afro-PeruvianAfro-Peruvian
Afro Peruvians are citizens of Peru mostly descended from African slaves who were brought to the Western hemisphere with the arrival of the conquistadors towards the end of the slave trade.-Early history:...
s in Morropón (Piura
Piura
Piura is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province. The population is 377,496.It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the third Spanish city in South America and first in Peru, San Miguel de Piura, in July 1532...
), a city in northern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, that are of Malagasy descent and call themselves Mangaches or Malgaches. The section of Piura is called la Mangachería.