326 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR 
passed more easily between the threads. The knocker of 
the weft, called tantanana, is made of wood, and resembles 
a scythe. The woman employed in weaving puts this 
between the threads of the warp, in order to open them, 
and then, after throwing in the shuttle, knocks the threads 
two or three times before she draws it out; and in this 
manner, with the assistance of a moving rod in the warp 
to open the threads, and the pressure of her left hand, the 
process of weaving is continued. 
The small rod placed across the warp, to regulate the 
width of the cloth, is called tohatenona; besides which, 
there are other two rods, for the purpose of keeping 
separate the threads. The weaver also uses a small 
bodkin, called tofy, for the same purpose. Most of the 
females in Madagascar are supposed to be able to weave. 
