Famadihana, the “turning of the bones” (literally the “turning of the dead”), is a family ceremony in Madagascar's Central Highlands. A family opens its tomb, wraps its dead in a new shroud and returns them to the tomb the same day, amid music and a large meal. Famadihana ceremonies take place during the southern winter, roughly from June to October, on a date each family chooses. It is not a show: you attend only if you are invited.
Origins and meaning of the famadihana
The famadihana is mainly practiced by the Merina and the Betsileo, two peoples of the Central Highlands, according to Routard. Other peoples of the island, such as the Bara, Betsimisaraka, Sakalava and Mahafaly, have similar rites. A report published by AllAfrica in August 2025 describes it as a tradition of Austronesian origin, practiced since the 16th century.
The meaning of the rite lies in the bond with the ancestors. The family remembers the dead, asks them for advice or protection, and makes their stay in the afterlife more comfortable. For the participants interviewed in that report, the new shroud is a sign of love and respect for those who made the lives of the living possible.
This is not a celebration a family holds lightly. A family holds a famadihana every five to seven years, sometimes less often, depending on its means. AFP noted in 2017 that remains are turned only every five, seven or nine years.
How the ceremony unfolds
Each family has its own customs, but published accounts describe the same outline.
- The shroud. Women prepare new silk shrouds, the lambamena. They used to be red; today they are often made of raw silk, according to Routard.
- The meal. Guests, sometimes hundreds of neighbors and relatives, share vary be menaka, rice served with fatty zebu meat.
- Opening the tomb. Men of the family open the vault. The dead are brought out one by one, carried by their descendants.
- The new shroud. Each body is gently wrapped in its new lambamena. In the village described by AllAfrica, toaka gasy, the traditional rum, is poured over it.
- The dance. The group carries the dead in a dance around the tomb. A mpihira gasy band, the musicians of the Highlands' traditional song, leads the celebration.
- The return. At nightfall, the dead are placed back in the family tomb.
Our advice
If a family invites you, ask your host what is expected of you: where to stand, whether to bring a gift, when you may take photos. Follow their guidance, even if it contradicts what you have read elsewhere.
Dates and places
There is no national date. Each family sets its own. The season follows the southern winter, once the dry season has set in and the work in the fields is done.
| Source | Period given |
|---|---|
| Routard | June to October, especially September |
| Malagasy Ministry of Health, quoted by AFP (2017) | July to October |
Ceremonies take place in the villages and communes of the Central Highlands, around Antananarivo and Antsirabe or in the Itasy region. The AllAfrica report follows a family in Ambohidranandriana, about an hour's drive on a dirt track from Antsirabe. Some communes also regulate the celebrations. In August 2026, the commune of Bemasoandro Itaosy, near the capital, banned noise after 9 p.m. without a permit, as well as processions that block the road, according to L'Express de Madagascar.
Attending a famadihana respectfully
Routard puts it plainly: attending comes down to chance or a personal connection, and it is a privilege. Do not try to “buy” a place at a ceremony. If you know a Malagasy family, it is up to them to decide whether to invite you.
Photos. Always ask permission before photographing anyone. Near tombs, respect local taboos, called fady: what is allowed in one village may be forbidden in the next.
Dress and behavior. Stay in the background when the tomb is opened, do not touch the bodies or the shrouds, and let the family lead each step.
Cost to the family. A famadihana is very expensive. Families save for years, sell zebu or go into debt to feed their guests, according to AllAfrica. Anaia Rabarinirina, an anthropology researcher at the University of Antananarivo, explains that this financial pressure is pushing some people away, and that young people in the cities no longer really practice it.
Watch out
According to the Ministry of Health, quoted by AFP in 2017, the famadihana season overlaps with the plague season, as plague is present in the Central Highlands. People who died of plague may not be buried in a tomb that will be reopened. Never handle a body: the bacteria can still be transmitted.
Entry requirements. Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality: check your case on our Madagascar entry requirements page. According to France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice), the whole country is under heightened vigilance: do not drive on national highways at night. Check your own government's travel advice as well.
To choose your dates, read our article on the best time to visit Madagascar, our Madagascar guide and the other festivals in Madagascar.
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists attend a famadihana?
Only if a family invites you. It is a private ceremony, not an attraction. Waiting for an invitation, and accepting it discreetly, is the only respectful way to attend.
Is the famadihana a sad occasion?
No, it is a celebration. People eat, dance and sing around their ancestors. It is also the moment when the family remembers its dead and asks for their protection.
Is the famadihana still practiced?
Yes, especially in the countryside of the Central Highlands. Its high cost is making it less common, however, particularly among young city dwellers.
