14
Draft summary of the day
Jean Aimé Rakotoarisoa, Professor – Institute of Civilizations/ Museum of Art and
archeology, University of Antananarivo
“The spatial boundary of our work was therefore the 2 km wide and 220 km-long land strip, with the
implantation sites and relocation areas. The first tangible result is the update of a hundred sites, covering a
period from the 12th to the 19th century.
These sites have to be placed in a wider context considering the national and Indian Ocean migrations.
This restitution session is not aimed at solving all the issues that happened during fifty years but at least
focusing on the right issues.
Based on comments from the audience, it seems that we have had a lot of discussions about the Vazimba,
the chlorite schist, graphite and the sgraffiato.
Discussions about the Vazimba are very common in any meeting about Madagascar’s history. Defining the
Vazimba concept here would be difficult. This topic alone deserves a several day symposium. I just want to
say that every region and every social group in Madagascar claims their own Vazimba which continues to
have a strong social influence.
There was also much discussion about the chlorite schist, which is an important indicator of the ancient
migrations. It seems that the deposits known to date are in the eastern side of Madagascar. Some of the
updated sites contain several forms of it. Records of the recovery performed on some parts tend to prove
the scarcity of such objects. The current analytical study is focused on the identification of the origin of
these objects by comparing them with the existing deposits.
Graphite is also an indicator due to the presence of deposits in the region. For the first time, some potteries
that were not graphitized but entirely made from graphite were discovered.
The hundred sites discovered clearly show the relationship that bounds the coastal regions and the
highlands. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a linear migration of a group from one point to another at a
specific time but a multi-directional movement occurring over a long period.
In order to achieve our objectives of improving our knowledge of this region, it is necessary to develop an
action plan in partnership with Ambatovy. The research in these sites should be done in cooperation with a
university research program.
Preserving these sites is becoming urgent. They are currently secured because there is no more damaged
by Ambatovy’s construction work. People know that they exist and we must educate the local communities
on their importance.
Some sites are of a crucial importance for the people and for us, and even for politicians at the national
level. These main sites are part of Madagascar’s cultural heritage and should be valued.”
Presentations
