Sahafatra

{{Short description|Ethnic group in Madagascar}}

{{Infobox ethnic group

| group = Sahafatra

| native_name = Safatra

| image =

| image_caption = Members of the Sahafatra ethnic group

| population = 129,000 Joshua Project. "Sahafatra in Madagascar." JoshuaProject.net. Accessed April 30, 2025. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14637/MA

| popplace = {{flag|Madagascar}}

| langs = Sahafatra

| rels = Traditional beliefs
Christianity

| related =

}}

The Sahafatra, also known as Safatra, are an ethnic group of Madagascar inhabiting the mountainous part of Atsimo Atsinanana region.Didot, Firmin. Encyclopédie moderne: Dictionnaire abrégé des sciences, des lettres, des arts, de l'industrie, de l'agriculture et du commerce, pp. 777–778. 1852.

Location

The Sahafatra are found mostly in the district of Vondrozo south of Farafangana.

Recognition

The Sahafatra like the Masikoro and the Vorimo aren't included in the 18 officially recognized tribes of Madagascar despite being a full-fledged ethnic group. They are considered as part of Tanala, Antesaka or Bara.

History

A letter from De Faye in 1668 mentioned the Sahafatra in a conflict between them and the Antesaka.Grandidier, Alfred. Histoire physique, naturelle et politique de Madagascar, vol. 4, tome premier, p. 194.

Sahafatra was one of the malagasy tribes independent from Hova ruleDeschamps, Hubert. Histoire de Madagascar... (4e éd. revue et complétée). Paris: Berger-Levrault, p. 201, 1972.

They took part in the 1904-1905 revolt against French colonists.

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Ethnic groups of Madagascar}}

Category:Ethnic groups in Madagascar