TRIP TO MADAGASCAR ISLAND

fearn · 23rd July 2006, 11:37 PM

Hi Radu,

Probably right. Madagascar has a mix of farmers, cowherds, and fishermen, so you can expect typical tools of these groups.

The Mikea spear I referred to is a "typical" African spear, with a small leaf head on one end and a chisel blade on the other end, both fitted with fairly loose sockets.

I looked up the Mikea, and there's a story attached. The chisel end is for digging up wild yams, and the spear head is for "self defense." The Mikea "tribe" is a group of people who know how to hunt in the Mikea forest, and collect wild yams as part of their diet. The Mikea forest was one of those places where people who got into trouble ran to. The threat was always that any pursuer would get speared from ambush. Each end of the spear has a use.

So, the mikea spear is a sign of mikea identity. If you're carrying one of these spears/digging sticks and know how to use it, you're Mikea. Supposedly.

Nowdays, the Mikea forest is a conservation area, and "native" Mikea "tribesmen" have special rights to collect and grow crops in the forest. Who is and is not a Mikea suddenly matters, and apparently, there are all sorts of fights about who is and isn't genuine. Thanks to the (very necessary) conservation movement, these cheap-looking spears are now political symbols, apparently. Interesting stuff.

F

Radu Transylvanicus · 24th July 2006, 11:01 AM

Another try to put some more on the table:

A brief history lesson and a idealised "savages of Madagascar gravure" with WEAPONS (yeeeyyy...)
http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/exh...ky/unifier.htm

A mysterious shieldfrom Madagascar:
http://www.remnantsofritual.com/gallery/070.html

An interesting account of slave trade and history in Madagascar mentioning Malagasy (word for native Madagascarian) spears:
http://ritesofpassageblog.blogspot.c...ry-part-1.html

Luc LEFEBVRE · 1st June 2008, 03:20 PM

Go to AMNH site:
http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...ica_public.htm

choice Madagascar & knife

Luc

Luc LEFEBVRE · 1st June 2008, 03:35 PM

But I think the nicest knife from Madagascar is this kind of from the BARA people.
You can see a man sitting on the handle with a zebu and a crocodile, which are the reincarnation of ancestors, there is also a duck at the pommel, this bird is the intercessor between the life & death and a fecondity symbol.
Note that in this knife the blade is not in the axe of the handle.
Made of bronze and iron.

Luc

1st June 2008, 03:35 PM	#4
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 473	But I think the nicest knife from Madagascar is this kind of from the BARA people. You can see a man sitting on the handle with a zebu and a crocodile, which are the reincarnation of ancestors, there is also a duck at the pommel, this bird is the intercessor between the life & death and a fecondity symbol. Note that in this knife the blade is not in the axe of the handle. Made of bronze and iron. Luc Attached Images

23rd July 2006, 11:37 PM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Radu, Probably right. Madagascar has a mix of farmers, cowherds, and fishermen, so you can expect typical tools of these groups. The Mikea spear I referred to is a "typical" African spear, with a small leaf head on one end and a chisel blade on the other end, both fitted with fairly loose sockets. I looked up the Mikea, and there's a story attached. The chisel end is for digging up wild yams, and the spear head is for "self defense." The Mikea "tribe" is a group of people who know how to hunt in the Mikea forest, and collect wild yams as part of their diet. The Mikea forest was one of those places where people who got into trouble ran to. The threat was always that any pursuer would get speared from ambush. Each end of the spear has a use. So, the mikea spear is a sign of mikea identity. If you're carrying one of these spears/digging sticks and know how to use it, you're Mikea. Supposedly. Nowdays, the Mikea forest is a conservation area, and "native" Mikea "tribesmen" have special rights to collect and grow crops in the forest. Who is and is not a Mikea suddenly matters, and apparently, there are all sorts of fights about who is and isn't genuine. Thanks to the (very necessary) conservation movement, these cheap-looking spears are now political symbols, apparently. Interesting stuff. F

24th July 2006, 11:01 AM	#2
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	Another try to put some more on the table: A brief history lesson and a idealised "savages of Madagascar gravure" with WEAPONS (yeeeyyy...) http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/exh...ky/unifier.htm A mysterious shieldfrom Madagascar: http://www.remnantsofritual.com/gallery/070.html An interesting account of slave trade and history in Madagascar mentioning Malagasy (word for native Madagascarian) spears: http://ritesofpassageblog.blogspot.c...ry-part-1.html

1st June 2008, 03:20 PM	#3
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 473	Go to AMNH site: http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...ica_public.htm choice Madagascar & knife Luc