74
• Fisokina
In a village, each existing clan must
erect its own
fisokina
or
fisokona
,
entrusted to the guardianship of a
Tangalamena.
Fisokina
are places of worship.
At every important event that requires
calling upon the ancestors, the
Tangalamena are invited and lead the
requests on behalf of the clan.
The skull of a sacrificial zebu is then
placed on the tip of the
fisokina
.
A
fisokina
cannot last forever, so when
it is damaged or falls down, the clan
must do everything possible to erect
another one to avoid being disgraced.
However, it is a very expensive
undertaking that is increasingly
difficult for communities to bear.
During the construction phase, one
of the major challenges faced by
Ambatovy was the relocation of
sacred sites. However, Ambatovy’s
social team was able to negotiate the
transfer of one particular
fisokina
that
was found in the footprint of the plant.
