Ramilison Besigara (Ramilison "Mr. Many-Cigarettes"), also known as Dadamily Besigara, was a ''

hiragasy Hiragasy or hira gasy (''hira'': song; ''gasy'': Malagasy) is a musical tradition in Madagascar, particularly among the Merina ethnic group of the Highland regions around the capital of Antananarivo. It is a day-long spectacle of music, dance, a ...

'' troupe leader from Fenoarivo in the central highlands of

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. His troupe, Tarika Ramilison Fenoarivo, featured his daughter, Perline, as a singer and dancer. Over two dozen singers, dancers and

traditional musicians A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

performed in the troupe. Tarika Ramilison Fenoarivo was in high demand to perform at ''

famadihana Famadihana is a funerary tradition of the Malagasy people in Madagascar. During this ceremony, known as ''the turning of the bones'', people bring forth the bodies of their ancestors from the family crypts, rewrap the corpses in fresh cloth, and r ...

'' reburial ceremonies and other traditional events in the highlands. In addition to founding and leading his celebrated hiragasy troupe, in 2007 Ramilison co-founded the League of Madagascar, an association focused on popular education through the medium of the hiragasy, performing educational songs on such themes as health, environmental protection, birth control, and good governance. He served as President of the Confederation of Hiragasy Artists (FIMPIMAMAD), which organized and united several thousand hiragasy artists to lobby government for the promotion of their art. For his promotion of traditional arts, the Madagascar Ministry of Culture awarded him the Grand Cross, Second Class, Commander of the Malagasy National Order on 20 September 2007, marking the first time such an honor was bestowed upon a hiragasy artist. Death of RAMILISON

References

{{reflist Malagasy musicians

See also

References