Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-05
Customs Of Madagascar.


Magazine:
The form of government in Madagascar
was and we may say is, patrlarchal The
unit, or simple element, is the family
and just as the father is the ruler of his
CD ldren and dependents so 10 a village
the head man, along with the elders or
old men, exercised the duties OF magistrates
The king, again, was the great father OF
his subjects; and to the present day the
sovereign is addressed as the father and
mother of the people; and he in turn, re-
versIng the compliment, speaks OF the peo-
pie as his father and mother. Thus wuen
the present queen of Madagascar was
crowned, addressing the people she sad
90 ye under heaven here assembled, |,
have father and mother, having you
therefore may you live, and may God bless
you" Then, referring to the judges and
officers, and explaining their relation to
the people, she said, Il have made them
fathers OF the people, and leaders to teach
them wisdom" The Malagasy are firm
believers IN the doctrine OF divine right
The sovereign is, in their eyes, in very
truth Gods vicegerent. Indeed, until
within the past few years, it Was custom
airy to salute hun as God; or God seen by
the eye Tne late Queen r .soahery was
the first who forbade these basphemous
applications. The very belongings of the
sovereign are treated with respect. 1t is
no uncommon thing, while being carried
about the streets, for your bearer, sudden
y 10 run off TO some side path to be out OF
the way. On looking for the cause of this,
1T will be found that small procession Is
passing along, consisting of torerunner
with spear, who duly shouts out to the
passengers to Clear the way" Behind
are two or four men, 1t may be, Carrying
water-pots filed with water for royal use,
and followed again by an officer armed
with spear. The summons to get out OF
the way is obeyed by rush to the side OF
the road, and the passers-by stand uncov-
cred until the procession has passed.
rhls is to prevent the water or whatever
else it my be, being bewitched. The
queen, and some OF the higher members OF
the royal family who have prlncipalltIes in
distant parts of the country, in addition
to good many other teudal rights, which
have got no time to mention, are entitled
to the rump oil every bullock that is killed
in the island The actual rump is convey
ed to officers appointed to receive it. THIS
is custom curious to all, and is deeply
interesting to the student of antiquities.
Why, the very name ANTAGONISTS give this
part is suggestive. 1t is called the Sacrun
or sacred part-the part devoted to the
gods in Greece and Rome. But tracing
this up to higher source, We fnd that,
IN the Lev,tical law, this part was special
ly directed to be offered up to the Lord
Thus we read in the third chapter of Levi
tcus-" And if his Offering for a sacrifice
of peace Offering unto the Lord be of the
| flock, male or female, he shall offer with =.
out blemlsh. If he offer a lamb for his
offering then shall he Offer 1t before the
Lord. And he shall lay his hand upon
the head of his Offering, and kill it before
the tabernacle of the congregation; and
Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the bIoodrhere-
of round upon the altar. And he shall
offer of the sacrifice of the peace Offering,
| an oHeriuS mdue ny uIe uuto INC LOru ::
the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it
shall he take off hard by the back bone !;
and the ia: that covereth the inwards, and
all the fat that is upon the inwards. n
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar !;
it is the food Of the Offering made By fire
unto the Lord" (ver. 6-1D. We may
Just mention also, that the same part of
the fowl is usually given by children or
servants to their father or superlors.
When the queen goes abroad she is attend
ed by above thousand soldiers, and a
great number of camp attendants. She is
carried in palanquin. as the roads are too
bad to allow carriages to be employed.
When a carriage which had been present
ed to Ra1ama l. was carried up to the
capital, he seated himsel! in it; and in
stead of being drawn in it by his faithful
subjects, they lifted it, wheels and all, and
he had the satisfaction of enjoying car.
rage drive after fashion altogether nov
ell. The palanqu'n is preceded by attend
ants dancing, shouting, and singing, with
music.