Experience The Antadroy Culture & Visit Antandroy Village

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Witch doctors, totem poles and haunted forests are just some of the elements that make the Antandroy culture so interesting to outsiders. No vacation to a foreign country is complete without a touch of culture. The Antandroy or Antampatrana is a group of local Malgasy people, who live in the southernmost tip of Madagascar. Antandroy means “People of the thorn bush” which is quite a fitting description considering their fascination with cacti! They surround their village and houses with all kinds of thorned plants, just one of the many idiosyncrasies of this once isolated tribe.

The Antandroy people are joyful and singing, dancing and exquisite music making are all part of any given day in a Antandroy village. Some of their musicians have gone on top travel the world and spread their unique sound and rhythm beyond the confines of these dusty villages on the top of Madagascar. Taking a tour of an Antandroy village is a fantastic experience for anyone wanting to soak up a bit of the local culture. Local tour guides are available and you can choose between a personal guide or a group tour through a village. There are a number of things to see like the wrestling matches, evening song shows where everyone in the village joins in and colorful markets.

The forest surrounding the Antandroy village is special because they are sacred to the locals, containing curious looking tombs. These Forrests are some of the best preserved in the country because the locals protect them so closely. There is also an Antrandroy Museum in the Bentry Reserve filled with artifacts and informative displays. Go on a colorful journey through the heart of an Antandoy village, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see this once completely isolated culture!