The Betsileo are a highland tribe in Madagascar, the third largest in terms of population, numbering around one million. Their name means "The Many Invincible Ones". The Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. ... The Malagasy (in French also les Malgaches) ethnic group forms the vast majority of the population of Madagascar. ...

Territory

The Betsileo occupy the south of the Madagascar plateau. Their traditional territory extends from the Mania River in the north to the foot of the Andringitra in the south; to the west by the Bongolava chain and the east by the Eastern Forest, occupied by the Tanala tribe.

History and Culture

The Betsileo are of pure African origin, whereas Madagascars population is largely mixed of Bantu African and East Asian descent.They are primarily agricultural, growing manioc, taro and sweet potato, as well as rice which they grow in irrigated hillside terraces. They also raise cattle. Binomial name Manihot esculenta Crantz Cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta; also yuca in Spanish, and mandioca, aipim, or macaxera in Portuguese) is a woody perennial shrub of the spurge family, that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop for its edible starchy tuberous root. ... Binomial name Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Taro corms for sale Taro (from Tahitian), more rarely kalo (from Hawaiian), is a tropical plant grown primarily as a vegetable food for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable. ... Binomial name Ipomoea batatas Linnaeus The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one fifth of the calories consumed by humans[1]. (The term wild rice can refer to wild species...

The Betsilo traditionally lived in huts made of vegetable fiber, reserving wooden huts for the nobles. Both were often adorned with decorative motifs or even bullhorns. Nowadays mud and brick are more common.

The people are excellent woodcarvers and are known for their large wooden sculptures.

External links

• Research among the Betsileo

• People of Tsaranoro