What Do People in Madagascar Wear?
The people of Madagascar like to wear more traditional clothing, which is full of a variety of rich colors and textile art, as well as more modern clothing based on the European western influence of French and British colonization. There are many clothing options in Madagascar for locals and tourists alike.
The dye in these traditional rich colored clothes is natural and is made from minerals, berries and other natural resources in Madagascar. There is also a beautiful textile art weaved into the clothing and these clothes are called “lamba.” They are also the traditional ceremonial gift in the region and are offered to ancestors, rulers and spirits in order to receive blessings. The various ethnic groups in Madagascar also exchange the traditional clothing as a sign of mutual respect.
The western clothing is non-traditional and is the same kind of clothing that a person would find when shopping in France or Britain. These clothing items are sold at western wear outlets.
There is a tradition in Madagascar where men offer clothes to new brides during the marriage ceremony. During the actual ceremony, the bride and groom will be encircled in a cloth to symbolize their new union. Clothing is also offered to the ancestors to symbolize their presence.
