((TWINS)) project - saving lives of Antambahoaka twins
Antambahoaka literally means Those of the people. With a population of 0.4% (74.000) they are the smallest tribe in Madagascar. They live around Mananjary south of the Betsimisaraka territory on the southeast coast of Madagascar. The Antambahoaka are of Arabian origin. They are descendants of Raminia Rabevahoaka, a king who came from Mecca to Madagascar around the early 14th century. The Antambahoaka served the courts of kings throughout Madagascar with their deep knowledge of astrology and medicine. Every seven years a large group circumcision is carried out in Mananjary known as sambatra. They use a kibory (communal burial house) to bury the deceased.
Masomeloka is a village of 4000 inhabitants along Pangalan Canal, 50km from Mahanoro and 30km from Nosy Varika. The Canal des Pangalanes is a collection of natural rivers and artificial lakes that stretches approximately 600km along the east coast from Toamasina (Tamatave) to Farafangana. The population of Masomeloka lives from seafood, agriculture and breeding.
Fady Kambana or Fady Twins
The Malagasy word fady is of Indonesian origin (Ruud, 1960): in the Maanjab language (Borneo), the
corresponding word is padi (taboo); in the ngaddju language (Borneo), it is plai. The Polynesian word
taboo has been taken over internationally. Fady are generally observed for two reasons. First, they are a means through which individuals display respect for their ancestors and for their elders. Taboos link individuals to their ancestors and living relatives. Sharing the same taboos allows people to identify with their clans and/or ethnic groups. By not observing ancestral fady, or by observing them only selectively, individuals bring dishonor to their ancestors and can find themselves socially alienated from their
community. Second, fady are often adhered to out of fear. People believe that violating their fady
invites misfortune in the form of illness, crop failure, or even death.
Antambahoaka tribes believe that twins are fady - a bad omen. Still today, a woman giving birth to twins has to abandon her kids at birth- in the woods or in a little floating basket on the river or on the beach. The story tells that a few hundred years ago a fire devastated an Antambahoaka village. A mother of twins fled with one of her babies, only to realize that she had left the other one behind. So she rushed back to get the twin, but didn't make it and died in the flames. Ever since the Antambahoaka has rejected twins as a sign of misfortune.
Project ((TWINS))
is a grassroot organization run brother Daniel Kloch, a missionary (Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate) in Madagascar for past 15 years. It consists in supporting famillies who break out of "fady cycle" and raise their twin children. We provide small loans to disadvantaged members of the community so that they initiate small businesses and make their living.
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