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Zanahary
Zanahary is the personified sky of Malagasy mythology and folklore. He (usually male, but sometimes considered genderless) is considered a creator god, having collaborated with the earth god Ratovantany to create humanity; upon death, the soul migrates to the firmament, while the body returns to the earth. For this reason, Zanahary is closely associated with the soul in the indigenous theology as well as ancestor worship. He is a national god of the Merina people, and frequently henceforth appealed to by Malagasy nationalist groups; most notably Ranavalona I promoted the worship of this god over Christianity. The Bara people and Betsimisaraka people The Betsimisaraka ("the many inseparables") are the second largest ethnic group in Madagascar after the Merina and make up approximately fifteen percent of the Malagasy people. They occupy a large stretch of the eastern coastal region of Madagas ... possess a myth in which the role of Zanahary is taken by the personified sun, whic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Malagasy Mythology
Malagasy mythology is rooted in oral history and has been transmitted by storytelling (''angano'', "story"), notably the Andriambahoaka epic, including the Ibonia cycle. At least 52-59% of the country is an adherent of the religion, which is known as Fomba Gasy. Adherence to Fomba Gasy is high amongst the Sakalava people (up to 80%), as they are reluctant to convert to faiths of foreign origin. Traditional mythology in Madagascar tells of a creator deity referred to as ''Zanahary'', and the division of Heaven and Earth between Zanahary and his son, Andrianerinerina, a rebellious hero and frequent theme of their worship as the son of God, or between Zanahary and earth deities such as Ratovantany which crafted human bodies from clay; in these myths Zanahary gave life to humans, and their souls return to him on the sky or on the sun while their bodies return to the earth deities.https://www.scilt.org.uk/portals/24/passeport2/educationscotland/Images/MadagascarCreationMyth_tcm4-730169. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ratovantany
Ratovantany, also known as Andriantompo, is a self-creating Malagasy deity associated with the earth. He is most prominently featured in the Malagasy creation myths, where he makes a deal with the sky god Zanahary Zanahary is the personified sky of Malagasy mythology and folklore. He (usually male, but sometimes considered genderless) is considered a creator god, having collaborated with the earth god Ratovantany to create humanity; upon death, the soul mi ... to create humanity; having crafted human beings from soil, Ratovantany reclaims the corpse upon death and decomposes it, while the soul belongs to Zanahary and thus the sky or the sun. Unlike Zanahary, Ratovantany appears to not have been a prominent deity to any Malagasy peoples, though this creation myth is ubiquitous in Malagasy cultures. References Creator gods Malagasy mythology Tutelary deities {{Africa-myth-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betsimisaraka People
The Betsimisaraka ("the many inseparables") are the second largest ethnic group in Madagascar after the Merina and make up approximately fifteen percent of the Malagasy people. They occupy a large stretch of the eastern coastal region of Madagascar, from Mananjary in the south to Antalaha in the north. The Betsimisaraka have a long history of extensive interaction with European seafarers and traders that produced a significant subset with mixed European-Malagasy origins, termed the ''zana-malata''. European influence is evident in the local ''valse'' (waltz) and ''basesa'' musical genres, which are typically performed on the accordion. ''Tromba'' (spirit possession) ceremonies feature strongly in Betsimisaraka culture. Through the late 17th century, the various clans of the eastern coastal region were governed by chieftains who typically ruled over one or two villages. A ''zana-malata'' named Ratsimilaho emerged to unite these clans under his rule in 1710. His reign lasted 50 yea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sky Deity
The sky often has important religious significance. Many religions, both polytheistic and monotheistic, have deities associated with the sky. The daytime sky deities are typically distinct from the nighttime ones. Stith Thompson's ''Motif-Index of Folk-Literature'' reflects this by separating the category of "Sky-god" (A210) from that of "Star-god" (A250). In mythology, nighttime gods are usually known as night deities and gods of stars simply as star gods. Both of these categories are included here since they relate to the sky. Luminary deities are included as well since the sun and moon are located in the sky. Some religions may also have a deity or personification of the day, distinct from the god of the day lit sky, to complement the deity or personification of the night. Daytime gods and nighttime gods are frequently deities of an " upper world" or "celestial world" opposed to the earth and a "netherworld" (gods of the underworld are sometimes called "chthonic" deitie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National God
A national god is a Tutelary deity, guardian divinity whose special concern is the safety and well-being of an ethnic group (''nation''), and of that group's leaders. This is contrasted with other guardian figures such as family gods responsible for the well-being of individual clans or professions, or personal gods who are responsible for the well-being of individuals. Ancient gods In antiquity (and to some extent continuing today), religion was a characteristic of regional culture, together with language, customs, traditions, etc. Many of these ethnic religions included national god(s) in their pantheons, such as * Amaterasu of the Japanese; * Amun, Amun-Ra and Horus for the Egyptians; * Apollo for the people of Troy; * Aramazd for Armenians * eponymous Ashur (god), Assur for the Assyrians; * Astarte, Ashtoret for the Sidonians; * the eponymous Athena, Athena-Mykene for the Athenians and Mycenaeans; * Baal for the Phoenicians; * Bathala of the Tagalog people, Tagalogs; * Ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merina
The Merina people (also known as the Imerina, Antimerina, or Hova) are the largest ethnic group in Madagascar.Merina people Ethnic Groups of Madagascar Encyclopædia Britannica They are the "highlander" Malagasy ethnic group of the African island and one of the country's eighteen official ethnic groups. Their origins are mixed, predominantly with |
Ranavalona I
Ranavalona I (born Rabodoandrianampoinimerina (also called Ramavo); 1778 – 16 August 1861), also known as Ranavalo-Manjaka I and the “Mad Monarch of Madagascar” was sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861. After positioning herself as queen following the death of her young husband, Radama I, Ranavalona pursued a policy of isolationism and self-sufficiency, reducing economic and political ties with European powers, repelling a French attack on the coastal town of Foulpointe, and taking vigorous measures to eradicate the small but growing Malagasy Christian movement initiated under Radama I by members of the London Missionary Society. She made heavy use of the traditional practice of '' fanompoana'' (forced labor as tax payment) to complete public works projects and develop a standing army of between 20,000 and 30,000 Merina soldiers, whom she deployed to pacify outlying regions of the island and further expand the realm. The combination of regular wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global population. Its adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of the population in 157 countries and territories, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, whose coming as the messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament in Christianity) and chronicled in the New Testament. Christianity began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the 1st century Hellenistic Judaism in the Roman province of Judea. Jesus' apostles and their followers spread around the Levant, Europe, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, the South Caucasus, Ancient Carthage, Egypt, and Ethiopia, despite significant initial persecution. It soon attracted gentile God-fearers, which led to a departure from Jewish customs, and, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bara People
The Bara people are a Malagasy ethnic group living in the southern part of the central plateaus of Madagascar, in the Toliara Province, concentrated around their historic capital at Ihosy. The Bara are the largest of the island's zebu-herding peoples and have historically lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle, although an increasing proportion are practicing agriculture. Bara society is highly patriarchal and endogamy and polygamy are practiced among some Bara tribes. Young men practice cattle rustling to prove their manhood before marriage, and the ''kilalaky'' musical and dance tradition associated with cattle rustlers has gained popularity across the island. Historically the Bara were organized into numerous affiliated kingdoms ruled by nobles of the Zafimanely line. They were largely united under a single king in the late 18th century before again dissolving into competing kingdoms. Over the 19th century, Bara participation in slave and cattle trading and raids into neighboring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Solar Deity
A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The Sun is sometimes referred to by its Latin name ''Sol'' or by its Greek name '' Helios''. The English word ''sun'' derives from Proto-Germanic *''sunnǭ''. Overview Predynasty Egyptian beliefs attribute Atum as the Sun god and Horus as god of the sky and Sun. As the Old Kingdom theocracy gained influence, early beliefs were incorporated into the expanding popularity of Ra and the Osiris-Horus mythology. Atum became Ra-Atum, the rays of the setting Sun. Osiris became the divine heir to Atum's power on Earth and passed his divine authority to his son, Horus. Other early Egyptian myths imply that the Sun is incorporated with the lioness Sekhmet at night and is reflected in her eyes; or that the Sun is found within the cow Hathor during t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Creator Gods
Creator is something or someone who brings something into being. Books and comics * Creators (comics), characters in the Marvel Comics universe * Creators (Guyver), characters in the manga ''Bio Booster Armor Guyver'' * The Creator (novelette), a science fiction novelette by Clifford D. Simak * ''The Creator'' (poetry collection), a 2000 poetry collection by Dejan Stojanović * ''The Creators'', a 1992 book by Daniel Boorstin Film * '' Creator'', a 1985 film starring Peter O'Toole, Vincent Spano, Mariel Hemingway, and Virginia Madsen Television * A television program creator develops the characters, concept, and format for a television show. Music * ''Creator'' (album), a 1988 album by The Lemonheads * "Creator" (song), a 2008 song by Santigold * Kreator, a German thrash metal band Religion * Creator deity, a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe * Great Spirit, or similar deity in Native American religions is often known as "The Creator" * ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sky And Weather Gods
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, the sky is also called the celestial sphere. This is an abstract sphere, concentric to the Earth, on which the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars appear to be drifting. The celestial sphere is conventionally divided into designated areas called constellations. Usually, the term ''sky'' informally refers to a perspective from the Earth's surface; however, the meaning and usage can vary. An observer on the surface of the Earth can see a small part of the sky, which resembles a dome (sometimes called the ''sky bowl'') appearing flatter during the day than at night. In some cases, such as in discussing the weather, the sky refers to only the lower, denser layers of the atmosphere. The daytime sky appears blue because air molecules scatter sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
