218 CIRCUMCISION. 



the people observe the " custom of their ancestors," as it ig 

 especially termed. 



After proclamation has been made for a great kabary or 

 assembly of the nation to meet, they are ordered to repair 

 and clear the roads for the sovereign to visit six of the 

 ancient towns in the central province, and are admonished 

 to " kill the rats," i.e., to put all sorcerers to death. After 

 this has been done, notice is given of the day for the cere- 

 monies to commence, and the first of these is the dressing or 

 " parting the hair " in a special way. This is for the fathers 

 and mothers of the children to be circumcised, the sovereign 

 being attended to while seated on a sacred stone in the 

 centre of the capital city. It is worthy of notice here that 

 this and many other of the ceremonies at this time, are 

 performed by the vilon&ray aman-driny, that is, by people 

 whose father and mother are still living ; persons from Ala- 

 sora, the town from which the reigning family originally 

 came, a place about five miles south-east of the capital, 

 performing the ceremonies for the sovereign. A cow of a 

 red and white colour is sacrificed, with prayers and supplica- 

 tions for blessings on the children, that they may overcome 

 their enemies, and have long life. Oxen are then killed, 

 with dancing and rejoicing, and firing of cannon. 



After this, preparations are made for fetching water, which 

 is called at this time " sacred " or " consecrating water ;■" 

 the fathers and mothers of the children meanwhile having 

 their hair done- in the fashion called sdlotra, a platting into 

 numerous small plaits, lengthened with false hair, and each 

 plait folded round a small piece of wood. 



A dance called soratra is then arranged, the people stand- 

 ing in lines, and the sovereign taking part. He then pulls 

 down the southern wall of the house where the circumcision 

 is to be performed, after which it is extended southward, 

 and then handsomely lined and furnished. This, together 

 with everything else done at this time, appears to have some 

 , symbolic meaning. 



Then comes the ornamenting the gourds in which the 

 sacred water is to be fetched. These gourds are those 

 shaped like a bottle, and are bound round with three bands 



