Famadihana: Dancing with the Dead

08Sep09

Famadihana is a funerary tradition of the Malagasy people in Madagascar. Known as the turning of the bones, people bring forth the bodies of their ancestors from the family crypts and rewrap them in fresh cloth, then dance with the corpses around the tomb to live music. The Famadihana custom appears to be a custom of somewhat recent origin, perhaps only since the seventeenth century in its present form, although it may be an adaptation of premodern double funeral customs from Southeast Asia. The custom is based upon a belief that the spirits of the dead finally join the world of the ancestors after the body’s complete decomposition and appropriate ceremonies, which may take many years. In Madagascar this became a regular ritual usually once every seven years, and the custom brings together extended families in celebrations of kinship. These ceremonies are costly, mainly because of the expense of providing food for a large number of relatives and guests

The practice of Famadihana is on the decline due to the expense of silk shrouds and opposition from some Christian organizations. Evangelical Protestants discourage the custom, although the Catholic Church no longer objects because it regards Famadihana as purely cultural rather than religious. As one Malagasy man explained to the BBC, It’s important because it’s our way of respecting the dead. It is also a chance for the whole family, from across the country, to come together. The festival represents for the peoples of the central highlands a time of communion with the dead and a means of avoiding or reducing guilt or blame. It is considered a serious transgression not to hold a famadihana when one is financially able to do so.

The Festival

The Famadihana is one of the most popular festivals in Madagascar. It is a traditional festival and is celebrated in both urban and rural areas of the country, though it is especially popular among the tribal communities. The Famadihana is also held to give respect to the dead through the transference of the bones to a permanent dwelling place. The family of the razana saves funds all year to celebrate the festival. The burial tomb is constructed with much care and it is considered to act as the link between the dead and the living. The relatives of the dead dress themselves well and go to the tomb to see the remains of the deceased. Relatives, friends and other near and dear ones are invited to the event. The event is organized to occur every 2 to 7 years.

The festival also consists of animal sacrifices and various traditional forms of celebration. The meat of the slain animal is distributed among the relatives and the friends. There are traditional song and dance performances which are performed by the family members or from the favorites of the razana (the dead). The main motive behind the festival originated from the belief of the local people that the dead return to God and are again reborn. Dead people are highly respected in the local communities as they are considered to be directly related to God.

Video Gallery

1. Famadihana de Tana

2. Series of videos of the event

3. Photos to music

Image Gallery

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Further Reading

1. Famadihana: a personal experience
2. BBC article on famadihana

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