First published: Summer 2008
The Mahafaly consider their dead to be 'gods on earth': intermediaries between the supreme being and humankind who watch over the living and play a major part in everyday family life. They are believed to influence the fortunes of the living, and offending or neglecting them can lead to great hardship. As a result, great care and expense goes into building the tombs, which are the main link between the living and the dead.
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The massive monuments are built from stone blocks and stand in a field of stones in which zebu horns are often planted. The zebu, a symbol of prosperity, is a kind of buffalo traditionally sacrificed in large numbers during funeral ceremonies
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This is an article extract; read the full article in Raw Vision #63
