Fitampoha is a traditional ceremony of the
Sakalava people of
Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, taking place every five years at
Belo-sur-Tsiribihina. The main ritual of Fitampoha consists in bathing the relics, called ''dady'', of the ancient Sakalava kings in the waters of the Tsiribihina River, once part of the Sakalava kingdom of Menabe. The most venerated of the ancient kings is Andriamisara I, who is considered the common ancestor of both the main Sakalava dynasty, dynasties, that of Menabe and that of Boina Kingdom, Boina.
References
Il ''Fitampoha'' o il bagno delle reliquieArticle on Fitampohaat Haisoratra
at Tranofalafa 2.0
Culture of Madagascar
Sakalava
Malagasy words and phrases
Rituals
Water and religion
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