HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
239 
labour excepting the culture of the soil is suspended, all 
amusements are prohibited, and all means of indulgence in 
ease or gratification are laid aside ; no one is allowed to ride 
in the sedan kind of chairs, or to sit in a chair; the nation 
is required to assume the aspect and adopt the habits of 
mourning and sadness. 
A ceremony called the Manao afana, takes place in 
general a short time after the funeral. The ceremony con¬ 
sists principally in killing a number of oxen, distributing 
the meat among the relatives and visitors, and eating it 
under an indefinite idea, that in some way this service is 
the means of averting evil from the deceased, or preserving 
him from the effects of any malevolent feelings which may 
have been entertained against him during his life. A small 
contribution of money is again presented to the chief 
mourner, accompanied with an apologetic address similar 
to those used at the time of interment. This money is 
called the Fialana, i. e. token of departing or leaving; either 
implying the family’s taking a final leave, a last adieu of 
the deceased, or the relations by this ceremony closing the 
funeral obsequies, and bidding adieu to the chief mourner 
as the representative of the family. On the occasion now 
under consideration, the chief mourner offers portions of the 
meat in return to those who have presented the Fialana. 
If the contribution of money has been large, the distribu¬ 
tion of meat is large also; if small, the return is the same ; 
and it is generally evident that some who attend on these 
occasions express their pretended sorrow for the gratifica¬ 
tion of sharing in the provisions distributed, and not from 
sympathy with the survivors in their affliction. 
Meat given away on account of the dead is called, hena 
ratsy, i. e. meat unholy; and not any portion of it may be 
given to the dogs. What is not eaten must be buried. 
