Famadihana: Malagasy Turning of the Bones
Famadihana is a ritual turning of the bones in which families exhume remains, rewrap them in fresh cloth, and celebrate with feasting. The practice binds kin to ancestral guardians, reinforces social obligation, and channels resources through shared rites rather than private display. It treats death as a continuing relationship that grounds land, marriage, and memory. The cycle, five to seven years, varies by lineage and wealth, reflecting local history and ecology.
