Famadihana: Madagascar's "Turning of the Bones"

In the central highlands of Madagascar, families sometimes do something that surprises outsiders: they open the tomb, bring out their ancestors, and dance with them. The ceremony is called Famadihana, or the turning of the bones. For the families, it is a joyful act of love and respect. This article describes what is publicly reported about it. Practices differ between families, and it is not a substitute for the voices of the Malagasy people themselves.

What is Famadihana?

A ceremony in which families exhume and rewrap their ancestors. CNN describes how the Merina people of Madagascar’s central highlands remove the remains of ancestors from the family crypt for a celebration that is also a family reunion. Living relatives peel off the old burial garments and wrap the remains in fresh silk shrouds. A regional news report calls the silk shroud the lambamena. The family then dances with the ancestors to live music, and the crypt is closed again.

How often does it happen?

About every five to seven years. CNN says the ritual is held every five to seven years, and the report from allAfrica says the timing depends on a family’s means. It is an expensive event: families host large meals, pay musicians, and buy silk. The regional report says families save for years, and notes that guests share rice with zebu meat while a little traditional rum is poured onto the fresh silk. The remains are returned to the tomb at nightfall, according to the report.

What do the families believe?

That the dead become ancestors over time. A summary based on BBC reporting explains the belief behind the custom. The spirits of the dead join the world of the ancestors only after the body has fully decomposed and the proper ceremonies have been held. This can take many years. CNN reports that the Malagasy believe their ancestors act as go-betweens between the living and God and have the power to affect events on earth. A person quoted by CNN explains that a body that has not yet been exhumed for the first time is neither among the living nor among the ancestors.

Are there rules about how it is done?

Yes, according to a person quoted by CNN. The remains are returned to the tomb before sunset because the sun is the source of energy. The first time a body is taken from the tomb, it should be carried feet first. After the ceremony the bones are returned head first, because they are considered to be living in a new world as ancestors.

Why do families do it?

To honor the dead and to bring the family together. A Malagasy man told the BBC that it is their way of respecting the dead and a chance for the whole family, from across the country, to gather. The report from allAfrica says that for participants it is a chance to come face to face with ancestors and speak with them across generations. It says the ritual is rooted in Austronesian culture and dates back to the 16th century.

Is the tradition changing?

Yes. The BBC-based summary says the practice is declining because of the expense of silk shrouds and because some Malagasy believe it is outdated. It adds that early missionaries discouraged it, and that Evangelical Christian Malagasy have given it up in increasing numbers. For other ways cultures stay close to the dead, see Ancestor Veneration Around the World and Toraja Funeral Traditions.