The human settlement of Madagascar happened between 200 and 500 AD. Seafarers from southeast Asia arrived in outrigger sailing canoes. Bantu settlers crossed the Mozambique channel at the same time or shortly afterwards.
Recent DNA research shows that the Malagasy people are approximately of half Austronesian and half East African descent, although some Arab, Indian and European influence is present along the coast. Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary with the Maanyan language from the region of the river Barito in southern Borneo.

The typical shield on Madagascar is a nearly round wooden shield called “ampinga” in Malagasy. The front is mostly covered with ox- or cowhide, which is fixed on the reverse side with wooden pins, if it is an old example. Such shields are once used for battle up to the beginning of the French colonial reign in 1897.

The warriors carried elaborate spears, which remind on Tuareg or Bornu spears with copper and brass inlay and a flat spear shoe. The shaft is from two tone hardwood.

For protecting during wars and riots a personal fetish, as shown in the right corner, should help. Such a “mohara” charm is made from a Zebu horn, filled with ox fat, soil or some other material, prepared by the “ombiasy” or medicine men. Outside it is decorated with seed beads and it was worn around the neck, or as it is shown on the picture in the right upper corner, around the upper arm. The picture was made in 1898.

Bibliography: Barbier-Mueller: Shields – Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania.
                       Arlette P.Kouwenhoven: Funerary Art of Madagascar. (in Tribal Arts 2/98)
                       Keller: Die Ostafrikanischen Inseln

Madagascar