Manditsara

Manditsara lies in the northern Malagasy interior, in the country also known as Androna. This is part of the homeland of the Tsimihety, whose name means those who do not cut their hair. Tradition connects the name with their refusal to adopt the mourning custom imposed by Sakalava rulers. Hills and valleys separate the region from the eastern coast and the western kingdoms, giving its communities a place of their own in the northern highlands.