Antanosy people

Ethnic identity

The Antanosy constitute approximately two percent of the total population, forming one of the smallest Malagasy ethnic groups both in size and in traditional territory. They 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 Merina people conquered Anosy.

History

9th to 12th centuries – Maliovola phase of Anosy with evidence of both cattle herding and fishing. Gardening and hunting also assumed.[]

13th century

• Ambinanibe phase of Anosy shows the introduction of ironworking and some signs of connections with broader Indian Ocean exchange networks with little evidence of settlement hierarchy or social differences and little change in population.[]
• Began importing "celadon" from China, which lasted until the 15th century.

14th century

• Arrival of the Zafiraminia in Madagascar according to Racoube, the grand ancestor in Anosy.

15th century

• Tranovato phase of middle and upper Efaho valley of Anosy where communities were fortified and stratified, with the rise of 'Paramount Chiefdoms.' This was a time of military campaigns and rice cultivation. Ceramics were imported from China, England, France and Portugal. Cattle were exported.[]

16th century

• Continuation of Tranovato phase of Anosy.
• 1529 – French sailor Jean Parmentier describes the ocean of eastern Madagascar as "La Mere Sans Raison."

17th century

• 1613 – Portuguese land at Manafiafy where they are met by king Andriantsiambany and 500 of his soldiers.
• Ehoala phase of Anosy with focus on irrigated rice, but manioc had also been introduced. Settlements were smaller and located primarily in upper valleys away from the coast. Cattle and slaves continued to be exported.[7]
• mid-17th century – Rise of Zafiraminia rule of Efaho valley as they become the key connection between French and the rest of Anosy. The capital was Fanjahira, ruled by king Andriambahoaka Andriandramaka, son of the former king Andriantsiambany who the Portuguese had met at Manafiafy.
• 1643–73 – Several different Governors of Fort Dauphin sought to conquer Anosy, pillaging and then burning hundreds of villages, killing thousands of Malagasy, enslaving others and stealing tens of thousands of cattle. During this time French living there also fought for several of the Anosy kings. At this point, there were an estimated 10,000 Antanosy living near Fort Dauphin, with the total population of Anosy several times this number.[25][26] For more information on these 30 years, see Tolanaro. For more information on work by the Roman Catholic Church in Anosy during the 16th and 17th centuries, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Tôlagnaro.
• 1674 – Fort Dauphin evacuated and fort and settlement closed after over half of the French population living there at that time were killed.[25]

18th century

19th century

• 1811 – Jean Rene, son of a French settler of Fort Dauphin and an Antanosy mom, became Governor of Toamasina, first under British and then under Radama's rule. He took a blood oath with Radama in 1817 and is a powerful ally until his death in 1826.
• 1825 – Anosy, including Fort Dauphin, conquered by the Imerina, led by Ramananolona who was then appointed to head the commercial establishment at Fort Dauphin. When asked by the French to in turn kill the new queen of Imerina, Ranavalona, she secretly ordered Ramananolona's second in command to kill him at which point this junior officer inherited all his commander's land and slaves and became the new Imerina Governor at Fort Dauphin.
• 1840s–60s – The occupation of Anosy by the Imerina resulted in the migration of 80,000 Antanosy who moved west to the Onilahy River valley near Betioky and Bezaha to escape Imerina rule, with 30,000 moving together in 1845.
• mid-19th century – Some Antanosy become part of the specialized porterage system of the Imerina kingdom, returning to Anosy with their earnings after completing their contracts.
• 1850s – Leather craft skills introduced by the LMS spread to Anosy when those skilled in this area fled Imerina fanompoana.
• 1895 – Madagascar conquered by France.

20th century

• 1940 – Vichy France takes over control of Madagascar.
• 1942 – British forces replace Vichy France's control of Madagascar with that of the Free French, invading Fort Dauphin in 1942.
• 1959 – 148,132 Antanosy.
• 1965 – Population of the Antanosy estimated to be 148,132.
• 1980s – Anosy region becomes a high priority area for conservation efforts resulting in the influx of a wide variety of international NGOs who begin work in this area.
• 1996 – Anosy region is identified as one of the ecologically most diverse regions of Madagascar

21st century

• 2005 – World Hunger Program responds to malnutrition in Anosy caused by a combination of drought and flooding.

Society

The ancestors of today's Antanosy migrated from the north about 150–200 years ago. According to MAEP (2003), they are divided into three groups in the region:

• The Antavaratra Region of Manantenina (an alliance between Antanosy & Antaisaka)
• Those occupying the Antambolo Valley in the region of Ranomafana and Enaniliha
• The Antatsimo who live in the southwest region of Anosy, from Ranopiso to the Mandrare river

While one source indicates there are five sub-ethnic groups of the Antanosy people (the Tesák, Ivondro, Tevatomalama, and Terara Temanalo) Rakotoarisoa indicates from the north of Anosy they are known as the Tavaratra (Manantenina region, though some indicate the people in Manantenina are the Temanantenina, with the Tavaratra located between the Temanantenina and the Tambato), the Tambolo (Ranomafana region), the Tambato (Mahatalaky and Manafiafy region), the Tanosy (Fanjahira region) and the Tatsimo (Ranopiso region). However, this is still a simplification of a more complex reality, as in central Anosy alone there are 30 village clans.

Another way to describe the Antanosy is to focus on the Zafiraminia people who arrived in Anosy in the 16th Century, conquering those already living there, and whose former dynasty is bounded by cemeteries named Enosiavaratse (Manarivo), Enosy atsimo (Andromira) and Samby Anosy (Ifarantsa). For a picture of Antanosy warriors see )

Class affiliation

Religious affiliation

Culture

Fady

Funeral rites

Dance and music===-->

Language

The Antanosy 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.

Economy

Most Antanosy practice subsistence farming and sell their agricultural products, including rice and manioc. Many also use and sell products taken from the forest, including thatch for house roofing, honey, bush meat, fruits and mushrooms, and medicinal plant materials. Commerce most frequently occurs during local weekly markets, as the majority live in remote rural villages with low populations.

Notes

Bibliography

;Anthropology

In Anosy region:

• DEZ, J. & POIRIER, J. (1963). Les groupes ethniques de Madagascar (pp. 20, 51). Tananarive, Univ. Madagascar, Fac Lettres.
• Hugot, Bernard. (1973). Étude des facteurs humains de la production agricole de trois périmètres hydro-agricoles (Tomes 2), Behara-Andratsay-Belamoty. Tananarive: ORSTOM.
• Kraemer, Antonie L. (2010). Telling Us your Hopes: Ethnographic lessons from a communications for development project in Madagascar. Anthropology Matters, 12(2).
• Linton, Ralph. (1928). Culture areas in Madagascar. American Anthropologist, 30(3), 363–390.
• Lyon, Linda M. & Hardesty, L. H. (2005). Traditional healing in the contemporary life of the Antanosy people of Madagascar. Ethnobotany Research & Applications, 3, 287–294.

Near Betioky & Bezaha—east of Toliary:

• BEHAVA (1991). ''Les cérémonies funéraires chez les Tanbsy de l’Odahy iAntananarivo, EN3, MémPhilo, 125p.
• Behava, André (1991). Rites funéraires Antanosy du Moyen-Onilahy. Antsiranana: Institut Superior de Theologie et de Philosophie.
• BEHARIVA DE MOUSSA, A. (1988). Un arbre dans la forêt, une liane dans la forêt. Destin et marriage chez les Antanosy de Belamoty-Tuléar (2 vol.). Univ. Maîtrise Lettres Malgaches. (traduction en français, ERA CNRE/ ORSTOM).
• BLANCPAIN F. (1957). Le peuplement du district de Betioky. Paris, M6m.ENFOM.
• Boittin, Patrick. (n.d.). Etude monographique de Bezaha.
• DESCHAMPS H. (1959). Les migrations intérieures à Madagascar (pp. 121–123). Paris, Berger-Levraut.
• Pesle, Nicolas. (1986). Belamoty: Village Tanôsy de l'Onilahy (Madagascar). Tulear: CEDRATOM, Centre Universitaire–regional.
• Pesle, Nicolas. (1997). Expérience chrétienne et traditionnelle chez les Antanosy de l'Onilahy. Quelle recontre? dans Ancetres et Christ.
• RAKOTOMALALA L. (1990). Les Tanosy du Moyen-Onilahy. Conception de l’espace. Nombres, couleurs et principes d’ordre. Besançon/TulCar, GRANE/ERACNRE/ ORSTOM, 34 pp.

Circumcision:

• Rabenirina, Jean Jacques. (1993). Circoncision et rite de virilité des Antanosy de 142 Soamanonga Madagascar. Bordeaux: Dissertation.
• Rabenirina, Jean Jacques. (1998). Le rituel mobilisateur de la circoncision (Savatsy ou cérémonie de circoncision chez les Antanosy de Soamanonga). Lille: ANRT.

Death and burial:

• BEHAVA (1991). ''Les cérémonies funéraires chez les Tanbsy de l’Odahy iAntananarivo, EN3, MémPhilo, 125p.
• Behava, André (1991). Rites funéraires Antanosy du Moyen-Onilahy. Antsiranana: Institut Superior de Theologie et de Philosophie.
• Somda, Dominique. (2006, Sept.). Odeur des morts et esprit de famille (Anôsy, Madagascar). Terrain, 47, 35–50.
• Randriansolo F. (1989). Ny Tari-bato. Fomba fanao am-paty Antanosy. Mémoire présenté à l’Université de Tuléar.
• Vérin, P. (1964). Observations sur les monuments funéraires des Antanosy Avaratra et les poteaux commémoratifs du village d’Antsary. Annales de l’Université de Madagascar – Lettres, 3, 47 – 57.

Early writings:

• COLIN P. (1943). Les Tanousses, Étude d'une mentalité primitive. Paris, Ed. Orante.
• Richardson, James. (1878). Ny Bara sy ny Tanôsy. Tananarive: London Missionary Society Press.

Education:

• MOLET L. (1959). La promotion sociale des Antanosy (aspect actuel du milieu rural), districts de Fort-Dauphin et de Betioky. Bull. Madagascar, 156, 357–387.

Folk religion:

• Miller, Laura. (2008, Fall). Walking Amongst the Sacred Spines: Social and Ecological Investigation of the Fenoaivo and Zanavo Sacred Forests in Southern Madagascar. ISP Collection, Paper 570.
• Pesle, Nicolas. (1997). Experience Chretienne et traditionnelle chez les Antanosy de l'Onilahy. Quelle recontre? dans Ancetres et Christ.
• Sambo, Clément. (1993). Destins astrologiques et liberté Humaine. In Pierre Vérin. (Ed.). Religions. Etudes Océan Indien 16, 1–29. Paris: Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales.

Health and traditional healing:

• Lehman, Ashley Davis. (2009, December). Assessing ethnobotanical knowledge and resources to develop a sustainable management plan for the Lokaro Reserve in southeast Madagascar. Master of Arts Thesis, University of Montana.
• Lyon, Linda M. & Hardesty, L. H. (2005). Traditional healing in the contemporary life of the Antanosy people of Madagascar. Ethnobotany Research & Applications, 3, 287-294.
• Razafindrakotohasina, Sylvie. (1994). Les maladies courantes et la pharmacopée Antanosy: Etude faite sur les habitants du village d'Ankazofotsy, aux environs de la réserve naturelle intégrale Andohahela, Tolagnaro.
• SOLANGE, M. (1989). Mortalite maternelle dans le Firaisana de Belamoty. Antananarivo, Univ., Fac. Medecine, these doct. no 1741, 35p.

Housing:

• Decary, R. (1957). L’Habitation chez quelques tribus Malgaches—Les Antanosy (pp. 18–25). Memoires de l' Institut Scientifique de Madagascar Serie C, Tome IV.
• RANDRIANASOLO F. (1992, Mars). Inventaire des habitats ruraux de Madagascar. L’habitat traditionnel Tanosy. Region d'Ifarantsa et de Bezaha. Antananarivo. 55 pp. (le chap. 2 pp. 33–40, 42–43 concerne le village de Tanambao B, proximite de Bezaha).

Marriage:

• BEHARIVA DE MOUSSA, A. (1988). Un arbre dans la forêt, une liane dans la forêt. Destin et mariage chez les Antanosy de Belamoty-Tuléar (2 vol.). Univ. Maîtrise Lettres Malgaches. (traduction en français, ERA CNRE/ORSTOM).
• LE BOURDIEC F.( 1974). Hommes et paysages du riz a Madagascar. Assoc. Geographes Madagascar. Antananarivo. (voir "Exemples de mise en valeur partielle. I. La vallée de la Taheza", 492–498).

Other:

• DECARY R. (1961, 2e trim.). Un tatouage Antanosy. Revue de Madagascar, pp. 45–46.
• Marcus, Richard R. (2008). Tokana: The collapse of the rural Malagasy Community. African Studies Review, 51(1).
• Randriansolo F. (1989). Ny Tari-bato. Fomba fanao am-paty Antanosy. Mémoire présenté à l’Université de Tuléar.
• Sambo, Clément. (1983). Aspects philosophiques du Fanandroana anTanôsy. Toliary: University of Tulear.

Rice:

• LE BOURDIEC F.( 1974). Hommes et paysages du riz a Madagascar. Assoc. Geographes Madagascar. Antananarivo. (voir "Exemples de mise en valeur partielle. I. La vallée de la Taheza", 492–498).
• MOLET L. (1960). La culture indigne du riz et certains de ses problkmes a Madagascar. Tananarive, Mem. IRSM, serie C, V, 197–213.

Current challenges:

• Andrew Lees Trust.
• Wüstefeld, Marzella. (2001). Quelques aspects de sécurité alimentaire dans le sud de Madagascar. Antananarivo: Tsipika. [description of 1997 food situation in Bekily region.]

;General

• Antanosy Web Resources
• Leoni Bouwer. (2010). Malagasy ethnies: South-eastern: Tanosy (Antanosy). SIL International.
• Peyrot, B. (1976, Juillet-Décembre). Compte-rendu. Le Pays Antanosy, par Bernard Peyrot (Résumé de la Thèse de Doctorat de Troisième cycle: « L’Anosy central et littoral: Le pays Antanosy (Sud-Est de Madagascar) », 2 tomes de 499 et 61 p., 24 ph., 57 croquis, 3 cartes hors-texte) Madagascar: Revue de géographie, 29, 185–189.

;History

• http://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.aspnavig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=768
• http://www.archive.org/details/tiennedeflacou00malorich
• Fagereng, Emile. (1981). Origine des dynasties ayant régné dans le sud et l'ouest de Madagascar. Omaly sy Anio (Hier et Aujourd'hui), 13–14, 125–140.
• Histoire de Madagascar – Dans le sud et le sud-ouest. (2004, 16 Mai). Clicnoo.re Le Journal de l'ile de la Reunion.
• Kent, R. (1977). Religion and state in Madagascar: A comparison of Antanosy and Sakalava in the 1600s. Omaly sy Anio (Hier et Aujourd'hui). Revue d'Etudes Historiques Antananarivo, 5–6, 279–297
• Larson, Pier M. (2007). Colonies lost: God, hunger, and conflict in Anosy (Madagascar) to 1674. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 27(2), 345–366.
• Radimilahy, Chantal. (1981). Migrations anciennes dans l'Androy. Omaly sy Anio (Hier et Aujourd'hui), 13–14, 99-
• Vérin, Pierre & Georges Heurtebize. (1974). La tranovato de l'Anosy: Première construction érigée par des Européens à Madagascar. Taloha, 6, 117–142.
• Wright, Henry T. et al. (2008). The evolution of settlement systems in the Efaho river valley, Anosy: A preliminary report on the archeological reconnaissances of 1983–1986. IPPA Bulletin, 13, 61–93.

;Human and social realities

• Ministere de l'Agriculture, de l'Elevage et de la Peche. (2003, Juin). Monographie de la Region d'Anosy.

;Linguistics

• Dez, Jacques. (1978). Les sources Européennes anciennes de la linguistique Malgache. Paris: Université de Paris 7. [overview of older European sources on the Malagasy language]
• Jully, Antony. (1901). Manuel des dialectes malgaches. Comprenant sept dialectes: Hova, Betsileo, Tankarana, Betsimisaraka, Taimorona, Tanôsy, Sakalava (Mahafaly) et le Soahély. Paris: Librairie Africaine et Coloniale.
• Malagasy/Antanosy Phrasebook
• Munthe, Ludvig, Elie Rajaonarison & Désiré Ranaivosoa. (1987). Le Catéchisme Malgache de 1657. Antananarivo: Egede Instituttet.
• Raharinjanahary, Solo, M. Mahajobo & Dimby Vaovolo. (1988). Une enquête lexicostatistique sur les parlers Tanôsy et Tañalaña de l'Onilahy. In Pierre Vérin (Ed.). Linguistique de Madagascar et des Comores. Etudes Océan Indien 9, 171–183. Paris: Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales.
• Raharinjanahary, Solo. (1992). L'AnTanôsy: Parler témoin de l'histoire de la langue Malgache. In Pierre Vérin. (Ed.). Le scribe et la grande maison. Etudes Océan Indien 15, 49–58. Paris: Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales.
• Rasoloson, Janie. (2001). Malagasy-English/English-Malagasy: Dictionary and Phrasebook.
• Simon, Pierre, Ludvig Munthe, Elie Rajaonarison & Désiré Ranaivosoa. (1988). Le Cathéchisme Malgache de 1657, essai de présentation du premier livre en langue Malgache. In Pierre Vérin. (Ed.). Linguistique de Madagascar et des Comores. Etudes Océan Indien 9, 254–256. Paris: Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales.

;Mining impacts

• Andrew Lees Trust & Panos London. (2009). Madagascar Voices of Change: Oral testimony of the Antanosy people.
• Collier, Christopher B. (2011, Spring). The Impact of QMM on Social Relations in Fort-Dauphin. ISP Collection, Paper 997.

;Music

• Cornelia Gruber. (2010). Musik und Tanz bei der Knabenbeschneidungszeremonie savatsy. Ergebnisse einer Feldforschung bei den Antanosy des Onilahy-Tals in Südmadagaskar. Diplomarbeit. Universitat Wien.
• Randrianary, Victor. (1997). Madagascar – Musique Antanosy. Lausanne: Disques VDE Gallo.--

bg:Аноси fr:Antanosy

References

1. "Antanosy in Madagascar".
2. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antanosy_warriors.jpg Antanosy warriors]
3. (September 2023)