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Favorite thing: Well, the area has more than only being the place where a part of my ancestor originates & was buried. lol
It is one of those places where to find traditional tomb architecture. Here, you'll find the typical Merina noblemen tombs. Some distinctive features:
- a Merina noblemen tomb has this little wooden hut above it. The little hut is called "tranomanara" (:"cold house"). Uses to be called "tranomasina" (:"sacred house") when the tomb it stands on is one of royal family. Also, I know that there are noblemen groups which could have a tranomanara, others who couldn't.
Its origin reportedly dated back to Andriantompokoindrindra, son of Imerina king Ralambo (17th cent). He didn't succeed his father. His brother, Andrianjaka, inheritated the kingdom instead whilst Andriantompokoindrindra obtained a smaller kingdom (Ambohimalaza). What could be perceived as a reaction to this was that he once decided to add a wooden hut to his tomb. His idea was to state the difference between him, a nobleman, & the freemen, also that, then, dogs wouldn't be able to walk on (his tomb &) his mortal remains. His brother, the King, adopted this view & had added a tranomanara on his tomb.
Well to sum it up, if you see one with a small wooden hut, it is a nobleman's tomb, for sure.
- there were times when only noblemen could use/wear red, carmin & related shades. So one could expect noblemen to paint their tombs in red to stress the distingo between them & the other groups (freemen & slaves). Red umbrellas, red/carmin clothing were exclusivity to noblemen.
Now, pic 2... posted for the beauty of the geometrical & abstract motives of the fresca
Fondest memory: Quite strange...
The sight of a tomb with a bright red tranomanara was so striking & unusual to me (so surprised I forgot to take any picture of it). Knowing red is a forbidden colour when you mourn a family member & a loved one, it could be even more surprising to a foreigner (Christian, esp.) to find a bright red colour as permanent features in a burial site. Returned there, just for this third picture...
The sight of the bright red tranomanara was a memory, not a bad one ... not that usual unless you find a similar site.
Updated Jul 13, 2006
Favorite thing: For Anosy Avaratra being about 2-3 kilometers from my place, I use(d) to pass by very frequently. It is on my way to the city center so at (old) times, I used to pass there 4 times a day... The same as with Lazaina village.
I've never dedicated a full day to visit the village like a walking tour with a guide & all... Instead, there used to be a butcher stall where we bought meat & we'd done that for years... Instead, my daily walks sometimes lead me to Anosy area... Instead, once in a while, I enter the village to soak up the serenity of the graveyard in the early misty mornings. It could have been another noblemen graveyard but no, my grand-ma (Mother of my Mother) originates from here & her mother has her tomb here. So, I was happily comfortable to visit this particular graveyard.
Anosy Avaratra is only about 14km from the city center, on the way to Ambohimanga.
Fondest memory: Visiting the serene graveyard in the early misty mornings is my fondest memory of the area... when sun is rising & its rays caress my face. This rising sun offered us a splendid view onto the ricefields at our feet as Bayard & I were in his orchard, standing on the top of a small cliff.
I guess the experience wouldn't have been the same at 2pm under a beaming sun.
Also loved to see the shadows of the tombs & their tranomanara cutting the rather thick fog. There was a thick fog that enveloped the whole site. Pity! we cannot see it on the picture. I took it when the fog lifted up.
Updated Jul 10, 2006
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For Anosy Avaratra being about 2-3 kilometers from my place, I use(d) to pass by very frequently. It is on my way to the city center so at (old) times, I used...
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For the tombs, the views & more... much more !
Very few pictures but some surprises and memories. Still, the page will be a short one... I was busy chatting with a kind local man instead of taking pictures. And, well, no bad in that... in the...
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