Holy Tree in Nosy Be

If you remember the plot to the first “Avatar” movie, then certain aspects of the story behind this tremendous tree may sound familiar! Read on:

In 1836, the Queen of the Sakalava tribe planted what has become an enormous banyan tree.

Every year, the current queen conducts a ritual here during which a zebu is sacrificed in exchange for blessings to the Sakalava people.

According to our guide, Philippe, his people come to this tree all throughout the year instead of going to a church. This tree is their holy space.

In fact, the Latin name for “banyan tree” is “ficus religiosa” since the Buddha attained enlightenment while sitting beneath one. (Many banyan trees around the world are treated as holy spaces. Makes sense to me!)

“My people believe this tree contains the souls of all our ancestors, and just as we cannot tell where the roots begin and end, so are our souls connected in the afterlife. We come here to feel that connection. Here we can communicate with our ancestors.”

Philippe told us that as they sing and dance at the tree, “People can have a trance. Trance is very important to us.”

People go barefoot during rituals at this sacred tree and Philippe showed us how the men wear a colorful wrap around their legs.

In addition to his tribe, Philippe said that people journey from all over the world to meditate and pray beneath this tree. I certainly enjoyed a few quiet moments beneath its tremendous branches.

“Many people tell me they feel an energy from this tree,” Philippe told us. “We believe it is our ancestors. When we come here to ask them for help, we leave offerings of coins, rum, honey, and red or white cloth.”

“No zebu?” Larry asked.

“Of course, zebu!” Philippe laughed, “But only for big requests, such as a marriage or funerals. We come here to make offerings, and we must drink a lot of rum to please our ancestors. We don’t like rum, but we must drink it for them.”

I noticed that anytime the subject of rum came up, Philippe would deny liking it, but say his people had to drink it to appease their ancestors.

There are many elaborate taboos in Madagascar, and for Philippe’s tribe, it may be taboo to say that you like drinking rum, but I’ll write about the complex “fady” a.k.a. “taboo” system in another post.Read more