Much of the early history of Madagascar is still under debate as to how Madagascar was

discovered and settled. Naturally, this means that there is uncertainty as to how and where
religion started in Madagascar. Most historians do believe that Christianity was brought to the
island from European nations but do not have a good idea as to when this influence occurred
("Religion in Madagascar"). Since the early settlements of the island started along the coasts, it is
believed that Christianity started along the coasts with these early settlements and as the people
began to move inwards on the island, Christianity followed them. As Madagascar became more
developed over time, Christianity sub-divided into the Roman Catholic Church and the
Protestant Church. With this sub-division into the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant
Church, the people of Madagascar also split and followed one of the churches. The Betsileo
people follow the Roman Catholic Church while the Merina people follow the Protestant Church
("Religion in Madagascar").
Religion often times plays an important role when it comes to the social development and
culture of a country. For instance, early in the nineteenth century, there was clash between
Christianity and traditional religious beliefs that lead to the deaths of many religious people
("Religion in Madagascar"). Many people in Madagascar also believe in a combination of
indigenous and Christian beliefs that create a blending in the culture between the religions
("Countries and Their Cultures"). This blending of indigenous and Christian beliefs adds to the
Malagasy culture because the people do not pick and choose certain parts of the religion they
want but instead take all the elements of both beliefs and make them work together.
Religions often times have sacred places in countries and Madagascar has many of them.
Since the Malagasy people have a strong relationship between the living and the dead, burial
tombs and ancestral tombs are the sacred places in Madagascar. Most of Madagascars culture is

based off a hierarchy system and the same goes for when a person dies. The higher up and more
important the person, the more elaborate tomb they will receive from their family. Burial tombs
are where people are buried originally but after many years sometimes the dead persons bones
are picked back up and transferred to an ancestral tomb. Most ancestral tombs are found in the
northwest of Madagascar but others are found all throughout the country ("Countries and Their
Cultures").
The government in many countries often interferes with certain religions. However, this
is not the case between the Malagasy government and Christianity. The Malagasy government
allows its people the freedom of religion and respects the right to practice the various
Madagascar religions ("Religion in Madagascar"). There really is not a connection between the
Malagasy government and Christianity besides the fact that the government allows its people the
freedom to practice religion.
Similar to every country, religion plays an important role. It is a way to bring people
together but also allows people to be different with the different types of religions being
practiced. Religion is part of a countrys culture and culture impacts the country in many ways.
With Christianity being brought in by the European nations, the Malagasy people followed the
ways of Christianity and now it is part of who they are. Besides the scuffle in the nineteenth
century with the deaths of religious followers, religion since then has not had any problems in
Madagascar.

Sources
Countries and Their Cultures. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from
http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Madagascar.html

Religion in Madagascar. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from

http://www.journeymart.com/de/madagascar/religion.aspx
Religion in Madagascar. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from
http://www.mapsofworld.com/madagascar/society-and-culture/religion.html