Soak up the Mahafaly culture at the Museum of Tuléar

The Mahafaly people live in the southwest of Madagascar about 150 kilometers from Tuléar. These people have a culture that, in many ways, deserves attention. You will discover all about this population in the Museum of Culture Mahafaly in Tuléar. Formerly known as great warriors, the Mahafaly - which can be translated: "who is taboo" have preserved a good part of their ancestral knowledge thanks precisely to the respect of the fady. This ethnic group is famous for the cult of the dead. For them, when a person dies, all that the latter has been able to accumulate as wealth during his lifetime must be sacrificed and offered to the ancestors. Thus, one becomes aware of the social weight of a deceased to the number of zebus killed during his funeral.
By visiting the Mahafaly Museum of Culture, you will better appreciate this culture jealously guarded by a people with characteristic hairdressing and tattooing. You will discover in this gallery a rich collection of funerary objects. The site also houses a Mahafaly tomb with its typical ornaments called Aloalo (totems). This box is of particular importance because the mahafaly belief says that death marks the passage of a person from life on earth to another life. It is for this reason that the Mahafaly build imposing and well decorated tombs.
 
Moreover, you will learn a little more in this museum, the daily life and lifestyle of the Mahafaly.
 
This article was featured in Prime Magazine May 2017

Useful Information

When to go

In the province of Tuléar, precipitation is scarce throughout the year. The climate of the desert type is the cause. With temperatures easily reaching 30 ° C, you will enjoy your stay during the austral winter when the heat is less hot.

How to get there

Cars serving the city of Tulear from Antananarivo are parked in Fasan'ny Karana station. You can also reach the destination by opting for a domestic flight provided by the national airline, Air Madagascar.

Where to stay

You can find hotels to suit your needs in Tuléar. These include the Hôtel Moringa, the Anakao Ocean Lodge, Le Paradis de l’Espérance, the Résidence Eden Ecolodge and the Kintana Hotel.

Where to eat

To satisfy your gluttony, you will be delighted by the Blu Bar restaurant, the Jardin de Giancarlo, the Corto Maltese or the Etoile de Mer. These addresses are perfect for typical Malagasy dishes.

What to see

To enjoy your holidays in Tuléar, go to the holy cave of Sarodrano and enjoy the freshness of the water of a legendary lake. You can also visit the Antsokay Arboretum and learn about the rich biodiversity of the south of the island. Know that where you are, you are only 2 kilometers from the Tropic of Capricorn. The protected area of ​​Tsinjoriake also deserves the detour. You will also have the opportunity to meet the local population at the fishing village vezo of Anakao.