Azafady!

Dear family and friends,

Azafady,(Sorry) for the delay in putting up another post. I didn't realize it had already been over a month, but that makes sense as I don't always get to use the internet more than once every 4-6 weeks. I am hoping that my blog updates will be lengthier once I have my computer and I won't be so rushed to try to type it at the internet cafe using a French keyboard. So if there are typos in any of my previous posts; you should blame them on they keyboard; not me. If there are typos after I get my computer, then oops!
Since I've been here *(it was officially a year on July 22nd)for a year, I don't feel I've spent enough time writing about various cultural customs relating to Malagasy family events. In the last month I've attended a wake, funeral, and circumcision. The customs related to these different events vary by regional tribe and religion. In the event of a family member passing in my region families hold a wake the days following the person's death. Often it is an event for the whole neighborhood. Close friends and neighbors will come and help the family with the preparations for the wake which include preparation of the body for burial, serving mourners bread and tea or coffee, singing to pass the time, and praying with the family who does not sleep the entire day following the death. During this time friends, acquaintances, co-workers, church members, and others come to visit the family. When a group comes to pay their respects to the family one person will be designated to give their condolences to the family. Someone told me that a friend of the family sits with the family to thank the visitors for coming and that the family members don’t say anything at all, but rather shake everyone’s hand as they leave. I was at a couple wakes in the past year when a family member of the deceased addressed the visitors so this may be an aspect of the wake that is different among cultures within Madagascar. The people who come to pay their condolences will bring with them an envelope of money that is then used by the family to purchase the food for the wake. When a member of family of the assistant director of the hospital passed away, all the hospital staff collected donations and we presented one envelope to the family as a group.

The process for a funeral differs upon the religious beliefs of the family as well, but the funeral and processional that I attended was similar to funerals in the United States. During the walk to the tomb I noticed that most people walked; including those who were carrying the coffin; and only a few family members rode in cars. At the tomb site, the eldest sibling of the deceased spoke a few words, the pastor read scripture and prayed and then the wife and daughters of the deceased went into the tomb after they placed the body inside wrapped in special white cloth. After the ceremony at the tomb my friend introduced me to her aunts, uncles, and cousins. I first met each of her cousins (all of whom were present happened to be males) and then I met her aunts and uncles (each of her wanted to set me up with their son). Once of the uncles was standing near a group of cousins and asked me which one I wanted to marry. I froze in silence at first as I wasn’t sure this was the appropriate venue for this topic of conversation, they I proceeded to make a joke saying I couldn’t marry any of them because I wasn’t mahay(good at) making rice. Since Malagasy people eat rice three times a day, one who marries into a Malagasy family has to be mahay mahandro vary (good at cooking rice).

One evening a few weeks ago I heard really loud music playing from the house behind the hospital and I wondered what was going on. I just figured it was a party that would end around the time I go to bed, but it continued as I was trying to fall asleep. Normally music from a church party or town event is far enough away that I can sleep through the noise, but the source of this music was right behind our building that I couldn’t sleep. I decided to find out what was happening. I saw a bunch of teenagers dancing outside the house and one room of the house had its lights on with a large group of people around the doorway. Someone saw me walking by and invited me in the house. Upon greeting the family, they told me that a circumcision was happening that evening. I had arrived before the circumcision and the eldest family members were giving their blessings to the boy and pouring a special water of the boy’s head. This went on for quite some time and then they started to sing. During the singing portion several members of the family started drinking toka gasy (the locally made alcohol) and that is when I decided to leave. By that time I was really tired and was able to fall asleep using my earplugs. In the morning; much to my surprise; I noticed the music was still playing and there was a crowd of people still at the house. I decided to visit the family to find out if the circumcision had already taken place. It had, and the boy was asleep in the mother’s arms when I arrived. Instead of presenting the family with an envelope of money, it is customary to give the child some small change to buy candy. Then I joined other visitors and family members in eating a meal under a large tent set up behind the family’s house.

Hope my explanations of cultural events in my region were interesting and informative.

Love,
Teena