Ambositra

Ambositra lies in the central highlands of Madagascar, in Betsileo country. The mountains southeast of the town are home to the Zafimaniry, whose villages preserve a rich tradition of working wood. Houses and objects are joined and decorated with intricate patterns, using knowledge handed down through generations. In the eighteenth century Zafimaniry communities settled in the remote wooded highlands, where forests provided material for their craft. Ambositra itself was also known for weaving silk and raffia cloth. These skills gave the mountain communities a distinctive place among the peoples of the southern highlands.