The Tanala of Madagascar
Pray for the Antanala of Madagascar. They live near and in the forest of South East Madagascar, in difficult to reach areas. They are a large group and are skilled woodsmen, hunters and gatherers. They also practice slash and burn farming, which is discouraged by the government.They are animists and venerate the spirits found in the forest. Pray for Christian farmers to come and teach them another way to farm and another Way to live.
Population: 1,140,093
Location and Background: The Tanala people, also called Antanala, live in southeastern Madagascar and are separated from the coast by the Antaimoro and other ethnic groups. They are a large tribe of forest dwellers living inland. Their homeland separates the east coast from the central highlands. The Ranomafana National Park is located in the area of the Tanala. They are divided into two subgroups: the Tanala Menabe in the mountainous north and the Tanala Ikongo dwelling in the more accessible southern part. Tanala Menabe villages are isolated. They are built on mountain tops and are hidden in the dense forest.
History: At the time of the French conquest, the northern Tanala were under Merina domination while the southern Tenala still held many independent fiefdoms.
Culture: The Tanala are skilled woodsmen, food gatherers, and hunters. They trade beeswax, honey, and other forest products and engage in slash-and-burn agriculture, growing rice as a staple. The central government is encouraging the Tanala to use more modern agricultural methods in the cultivation of rice and coffee. The Tanala observe patrilineal descent and often live in large compounds consisting of a father and his sons or of a group of brothers. Their houses are usually built on stilts. Besides slash-and-burn agriculture, they grow rice, corn, yams and coffee. The traditional dance of the Tanala (Dombolo) has become widely recognized and popular.
Religion: The Tanala hold deeply to their traditional religious practices, which is based on animism and ancestor worship. They believe that there are spirits all around us in nature and that people must try to please the spirits. Animists usually live with a certain amount of fear that a spirit will be unhappy with them. Very few of the population is evangelical but there has been some church planting among them within the past two years.
No longer
Maroamboka village, where we used to live, is the place of witch doctors. Seven of them live and work in and around Maroamboka! Some of them are so powerful that people come all the way from the capital to consult them. In short, Maroamboka was more or less the stronghold of Satan.
And it is precisely in Maroamboka that the church is growing! And it is Maroamboka where people come to hear more about the Gospel. Why? My friend Issa noted that the Lord has a sense of humour. Issa said, “The evil one must have been happy when we left Maroamboka. But it is as if God woke the evil one out of his evil dream by using Maroamboka for His mighty and glorious work.” I like Issa’s conclusion. Pray for the church to continue to grow in size and influence.
Tide turning!
The village of Tsiombivohitra where I went almost weekly (for years) to teach and preach the Bible stories, now has a large group of Christians. When I used to go there were only two young people who believed in Jesus.
Sometime last year, the sown seed seems to have taken root. First, the young couple started coming to Maroamboka on Sunday mornings to seek the Lord with the brothers and sisters in the FLM church. But not much later, they started bringing about 20 people from Tsiombivohitra. The tide in Tsiombivohitra village seems to have turned. It is just a small village which means that the believers are slowly becoming the majority. They have now agreed with the FLM leadership to build a sister congregation in Tsiombivohitra.
But this village is not the only one where people are coming to a living faith in Christ. There are plans to build a church in at least two more villages. Praise the Lord He is building His church! Pray for these new believers to walk in the ways of the Lord.
