Malagasy Religion

Malagasy (Madagascar) mythology is rooted in oral history and has been transmitted by storytelling, most notably the Andriambahoaka epic. These myths tell of a creator deity, Zanahary, and the division of Heaven and Earth between Zanahary and his son Andrianerinerina, a rebellious hero and frequent object of worship as the son of God. Alternately, power is divided between Zanahary and earth deities like Ratovantany, the crafter of our human bodies from clay. Zanahary gave life to humans, and their souls return to him in the sky or on the sun while their bodies are reclaimed earth deities. Ancestors are also worshiped. Malagasy culture was generally polytheistic, worshiping a variety of entities that straddled the line between gods and revered ancestors.These ancestors are generally regarded as a benevolent force in the life of the living, but sometimes the spirits of ancestors may become angatra (ghosts of the dead) that bring disease and misfortune to the living who have offended them. Malagasy mythology describes a pygmy-like people, the Vazimba as the original inhabitants of the land and believes that Vazimba still live in the deepest recesses of the forest. The kings of some Malagasy tribes claim blood kinship to the Vazimba, including the Merina dynasty that eventually came to rule over all of Madagascar.