Aloalo funerary post; Mahafaly, Madagascar, 20th century.

Aloalo funerary post; Mahafaly, Madagascar, 20th century.
Wood with gray patina.
It shows wear caused by the passage of time.
Measurements: 151 cm (height).
Funerary post carved in wood representing a female figure crowned by a zebu. As in great part of Madagascar, the mahafaly bury their dead in tombs. Historically, the graves of family members were located in sacred forest areas, away from the homes of the living, although due to deforestation and other factors this is no longer always the case. Tombs are usually grouped and arranged according to the rank and role of family members, with that of the eldest ancestor being the most southerly, that of his descendants to the north, and that of wives and unmarried relatives to the west. The funerals consist of several ceremonies, and in each one of them zebu are sacrificed and their skulls are placed on the grave. The first ceremony is in preparation for the following events, and the zebu ombilahy sacrificed in this ceremony is especially important because the meat is shared with all those gathered as a gesture of unity and friendship.
The mahafaly also decorate their graves with aloalo, tall wooden poles carved with geometric motifs and sometimes topped with carved zebu or other figures meaningful to the deceased. These poles are intended to indicate that a person has died and attained the status of "ancestor" (razana), serving as an intermediary between the living and God.